Irradiation technology has great potential for development in the field of sterilization. Electron beam irradiation and gamma ray irradiation are mainstream technologies.

Irradiation is the use of gamma rays produced by the radioactive isotope cobalt-60, electron beams or Improve or affect the physiological activity of microorganisms to achieve the purpose of material modification, material performance improvement, product disinfection and sterilization, etc., and can be widely used in materials, medical devices, medicines, food, packaging, environmental protection and other fields.

In terms of material modification and performance improvement, irradiation technology can improve the mechanical strength, stress cracking resistance, chemical stability, flame retardancy and other properties of materials, and can be used in chemical industry, electronics, automobiles, building materials, military industry and other fields. In terms of disinfection and sterilization, irradiation technology can kill viruses, bacteria, microorganisms, etc., and can be used in the fields of frozen food, medical equipment, and sewage and wastewater treatment. my country’s irradiation technology started in the 1980s. At this stage, the application of γ-ray irradiation and electron beam irradiation technology is more mature, while the application scale of X-ray irradiation technology is small.

Disinfection and sterilization is an important application field of irradiation technology. Compared with traditional chemical sterilization technology, it has the advantages of thorough killing, no residue, and no pollution. Gamma ray irradiation and electron beam irradiation technology can be used in the field of disinfection and sterilization. The advantage of gamma ray irradiation is its strong penetrating ability, but if the degree of irradiation is not properly controlled, it will affect the food in the package, and cobalt- 60 is a radioactive element and its application is limited in some scenarios; electron beam irradiation is non-radioactive and only disinfects and sterilizes the outer packaging without affecting the food inside the package. It is safer, but its penetration ability is weak.

According to the “China Irradiation Market Feasibility Research Report 2022-2026” released by the Industrial Research Center, globally, The irradiation sterilization market accounts for 48% of the total market for medical product sterilization, while my country’s share is only about 20%, which is far lower than the international market average; the overseas new crown epidemic is still in the outbreak period, and my country’s imports There is a high risk of carrying the new coronavirus on cold chain food packaging; Chinese residents’ health and safety awareness has increased, and the country’s requirements for hygienic standards for medical products and food are constantly improving. These factors jointly promote the continued growth of my country’s radiation sterilization market demand, and it is estimated that my country’s potential market space for radiation sterilization reaches about 5.5 billion yuan.

Industry analysts said that it is expected that electron beam irradiation, gamma ray irradiation, and Three irradiation technologies will coexist. In my country, the major enterprises related to the irradiation industry include China General Nuclear Technology, China Tongren Radiation, CICC Irradiation, China Nuclear Irradiation, Hongyi Sifang, Tongfang Irradiation, Nanfu High Energy, etc. Among them, China General Nuclear Technology mainly focuses on the electron beam irradiation market, China Uni-radiation mainly focuses on the gamma ray irradiation market, and CICC Irradiation mainly focuses on the gamma ray irradiation market, and is accelerating the speed of the electron beam irradiation market layout.