Investigation into the permeability of polymer membranes of food packaging quality to gases and water vapour after radiation treatment with radurizing doses

The work involved the determination of permeability of polymer membranes to nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour by means of the method developed by the author at the temperature of 30 deg C from 0 to 35 days after treatment with doses of 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 krad, respectively. The results obtained by the determination of permeability were checked by determining the crystalline to amorphous ratio in the polymers by photometry in the infrared region. The permeability of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylidene chloride and polyester to nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour radiation treatment did not differ significantly from the permeability prior to irradiation. Radiation treatment with up to 800 krad did not cause or initiate change in the ordered crystalline part in the polymers. These results mean that irradiation dosed even as high as 800 krad will not induce changes in the properties of the investigated food packaging