Potential of ionizing radiation application for reducing environmental risks related to solids residues

The capacity of ionizing radiation for controlling microorganisms in diverse type of matrices is recognized in the world. Radiation dose, dose rate, type and level of contamination are essential parameters to be known for a suitable radiation processing. During the last decade ionizing radiation applications for the abatement of organic and biological pollutants demonstrated important data in wastewater and effluents. On the other hand, there is lot of work to be done in terms of solids residues and their decontamination considering that ionizing radiation causes damage and alterations in the DNA of organisms, inactivating them. Today it is imperative the care to be taken not only with aquatic resources but also with the solids residues policy. Irradiation of vehicular air filters were carried out for fungi control. Animal waste is made up of organic material and water, but also bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites that have the potential to cause diseases of animals and man can are present. This is the reason why it must be properly controlled and managed to avoid polluting the environment. Of special concern are the waste obtained from installations where animals are raised for experimentation which are considered hazardous waste, and the hazardous microorganisms must be eliminated before of for disposal. In this study, some data from Argentina and Brazil will be discussed and with irradiation applied at different material and disinfection was the purpose for the treatment, both used gamma rays obtained from ⁶⁰Co sources. The objective of this work is to analyze the effect of radiation applied at vehicular filters for reducing microorganisms, allowing a second use of irradiated filters, and applied irradiation at biological residues from animal facilities to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms to produce a soil amendment. (author)