Abstract
A light-weight multichannel analyser (MCA)-based \(\gamma \)-ray spectrometer, developed earlier at the Inter University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi, has been used as part of the PG curriculum, to determine the effective atomic numbers for \(\gamma \) attenuation of \(^{137}\)Cs \(\gamma \)-ray in different types of samples. The samples used are mixtures of graphite, aluminum and selenium powders in different proportions, commercial and home-made edible powders, fruit and vegetable juices as well as certain allopathic and ayurvedic medications. A narrow beam good geometry set-up has been used in the experiments. The measured attenuation coefficients have been used to extract effective atomic numbers in the samples. The results are consistent with XCOM values wherever available. The present results suggest that the \(\gamma \) attenuation technique can be used as an effective non-destructive method for finding adulteration of food materials.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the Director, Inter University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi, for providing the gamma spectrometer system and the associated electronics along with the MCA and the associated software. They are also grateful to the Head, Department of Physics, University College, for providing the necessary facilities for the actual execution of the experimental work described in this paper. One of the authors (KMV) would like to express his thanks to the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram for providing an Emeritus Scientist fellowship.
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Revathy, J.S., Anooja, J., Krishnaveni, R.B. et al. Effective atomic numbers in some food materials and medicines for \(\gamma \)-ray attenuation using \(^{137}\)Cs \(\gamma \)-ray. Pramana - J Phys 90, 72 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12043-018-1570-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12043-018-1570-9
Keywords
- \(^{137}\)Cs \(\gamma \)-rays
- \(\gamma \)-ray attenuation
- effective atomic numbers
- light-weight multichannel analyser
- mixture samples
- vegetable and fruit juices