Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Dec 9 /Trend D.Azizov/
The Institute of Nuclear Physics of Academy of Sciences (Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan) launched a new nuclear physics facility based on the Elektronika-003 V accelerator, according to a report in the Academy of Sciences on Friday.
The accelerator produces high-intensity electron beams with an energy of six million electron volts.
Scientists and experts from the institute got a new tool to assist with their scientific ideas and the work on radiation processing of products for various purposes, including the sterilisation of medical and other products since the installation launch.
The project which will help people undergoing radiation treatment and research in the field of nanotechnology being carried out under a ministerial cabinet decree.
The construction, installation, adjustment and launch of the accelerator complex were done by the Institute, with Partnership technical and financial assistance of for the closed nuclear cities' programme (UK).
"There is an increased demand for radiation treatment which is associated with an increase in the number of companies producing medical devices and pharmaceuticals. This includes the need to sterilise their products in accordance with international standards using methods offering a high degree of sterility," A spokesman said in a statement.
Commissioning of the Elektronika U-003 accelerator will significantly increase the irradiated products. The radiation processing cycle time is reduced 10 times when using an electron accelerator compared to exposure at the gamma setting and about the same increases to the amount of processed products.
The Institute of Nuclear Physics of Uzbekistan was established in 1956 and is one of the leading research centres in Central Asia in areas such as nuclear physics and elementary particle physics, solid state physics, activation analysis, scientific instrumentation and the production of radioactive isotopes.
It has basic experimental facilities, a WWR-SM cyclotron U-150 nuclear reactor and a U-115 neutron generator and gamma setting.