Once the cobalt- 60 material was removed from the research reactor it was encapsulated in stainless steel and seal welded using a Tungsten Inert Gas weld. A cobalt-59 target was introduced into a research reactor where the cobalt-59 atom absorbed one neutron to become cobalt- 60. Almost 55 years ago MDS Nordion and Atomic Energy of Canada developed the process for manufacturing cobalt- 60 at the Chalk River Labs, in Ontario, Canada. This paper will focus on the MDS Nordion proprietary technology used to produce the cobalt- 60 isotope in CANDU reactors. These sources are shipped to over 170 industrial irradiators around the world. Each source may contain up to 14,000 curies. The cobalt- 60 sources are double encapsulated in stainless steel capsules, seal welded and helium leak tested. More than 75,000 cobalt- 60 sources for use in irradiators have been manufactured by MDS Nordion. The cobalt- 60 sources are manufactured by MDS Nordion in their Cobalt Operations Facility in Kanata. Other applications for this irradiation technology include sanitisation of cosmetics, microbial reduction of pharmaceutical raw materials and food irradiation. This treatment sterilizes the medical products which can then be shipped to hospitals for immediate use. The medical products are circulated through the shielded room and exposed to the cobalt- 60 sources. The irradiator is a large shielded room with a storage pool for the cobalt- 60 sources. These irradiators are designed and built by MDS Nordion and are used by manufacturers of surgical kits, gloves, gowns, drapes and other medical products. The major application is in the health care industry where irradiators are used to sterilize single use medical products. These cobalt- 60 sources are used in many market and product segments. MDS Nordion has been supplying cobalt- 60 sources to industry for industrial and medical purposes since 1946. International Nuclear Information System (INIS) Cobalt- 60 production in CANDU power reactors
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