The role of nuclear technologies in supporting and developing modern industries

Modern industry uses radioisotopes in a variety of applications to improve productivity, and to gain information that can not be obtained in any other ways. Radioisotopes make important contributions in several sectors of economy including medicine, food processing, industry, agriculture, structural safety and research. More than 150 different radioisotopes in different forms are in use for various applications and are increasingly used in industry. Sealed radioactive sources are used in industrial radiography, gauging applications and mineral analysis. Short-lived radioactive material is used in flow tracing and mixing measurements. Gamma sterilization is used for medical supplies, bulk commodities and, increasingly, for food preservation. Rapid response of nuclear techniques with continuous analysis means that reliable flow of analytic data can be constantly available. This results in reduced costs with increased quality and productivity. (author)