NEW DATA ON THERMOLUMINESCENCE OF INORGANIC DUST FROM HERBS AND SPICES

Inorganic dusts from different herbs and spices are investigated in th is study using both standard thermoluminescence measurements of integr ated intensity versus temperature and measurements of the thermolumine scence emission spectra (intensity as a function of both temperature a nd wavelength). The importance of particular minerals in the compositi on of glow peaks detected is discussed. Thermoluminescence emission sp ectra of the samples studied reveal (i) the presence of a broad high-i ntensity signal in the red to infra-red spectral region in all irradia ted polymineral dusts; (ii) the hitherto unsuspected importance of cal cite in the polymineral fractions of the dust; (iii) the existence of high-temperature unbleachable peaks from the silicate fraction in the orange to near infra-red portions of the emission spectrum; and (iv) t he potential for quantification of absorbed dose. Discrimination betwe en irradiated and un-irradiated spices appears to be feasible.