Effect of gamma irradiation on thermoluminescence emissions from dust of Asian plant nuts

Experiments were conducted to see the effect of irradiation on the thermolu minescence emission from dust of plant nuts such as almond, peanut, pinenut and walnut. Inorganic dust particulate minerals adhering to the nut's surf ace were collected from unirradiated and irradiated (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kGy) samples, and analysed for their thermoluminescence (TL) intensities in the temperature range of 80-320 degrees C at a temperature rate of 10 degrees C /s. It was observed that peaks of the TL signals appeared at 200 degrees C in each case and generally the magnitude of the peak signals of irradiated samples was manifold that of unirradiated controls. Regression and correlat ion analysis of the data indicated strong relationship between radiation ab sorbed dose and TL values as each temperature (pi greater than or equal to 0.96). It was concluded that TL measurements could serve as a fast and reli able method for identifying as well as determining absorbed dose in irradia ted plant nuts.