engleski

Twenty years of radiation sterilization in Croatia

The development of radiation processing in Croatia has been followed from its inception 20 years ago till the present time. Annual throughputs of treated materials have been specified by the categories of materials and pertaining volumes. The pasteurization of hard gelatine capsules has prevailed during the early stage, while sterilization of disposable medical supplies has dominated in the later stage up to the present. Irradiation of foods and of cosmetics and toiletries have been minor fractions of the total throughput so far. Since the normalization of everyday life and economy of the country after the war, the total throughput has been steadily increasing to reach 13, 000 m3kGy in 2002, 90% of which was medical supplies. The estimate of the present maximum capacity of 30, 000 m3kGy and of future needs indicate that the present rate of growth could be sustained for the next several years only, unless a major upgrading were undertaken. Some estimates of potential future needs have also been made.

Croatia; disposable medical supplies; food irradiation; radiation sterilization

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