Alanine pellet dosimeter efficiency in a 40 kV x-ray beam relative to cobalt-60

Kilovoltage X-ray beam quality effect on the relative response of alanine pellet dosemeters

Determination of beam quality correction factors is crucial for performing accurate alanine pellet dosimetry in non-reference fields. For some complex irradiation geometries, interpolation from literature data is more convenient than an experimental approach to establish these factors. Here we investigate the validity of extracting quality correction factors from literature data based on information on beam qualifiers such as half-value layer (HVL) or effective energy ${E}_{\text{eff}}$. A combination of Monte Carlo calculated dose ratios and a microdosimetric assessment of the relative efficiency allows for numerical evaluation of quality correction factors for a wide array of X-ray qualities. The computational analysis demonstrates that the average energy of the X-ray beam is optimal for characterizing the relative response. Special care should be taken when using the common X-ray beam qualifiers HVL or ${E}_{\text{eff}}$ to determine quality correction factors from literature data.

Effect of X-ray irradiation on development, flight, and reproduction of Spodoptera litura

Spodoptera litura is an omnivorous pest that has spread globally. Because irradiation sterilization technology has a great potential for control of S. litura, the effect of 25–150 Gy doses of X-rays on pupal survival, flight and reproductive variables of adult moths were analyzed in this research. The X-ray irradiation with the dose of 25–150 Gy significantly affected the reproductive ability of females. Irradiating male pupae with 25–150 Gy doses of X-rays had no effect on mating, life span, or flight ability of adult moths, but significantly reduced survival and fecundity of their offspring, and the sterility rate of the F₁ generation was 52.65%–99.9%. The results of logistic curve fitting showed that the sterility impact was 84% at the most appropriate irradiation dose (71.26 Gy). The sterility control was 91% in an indoor mating competition experiment when the release ratio of irradiated males (75 Gy) to nonirradiated males reached 12.6:1. The effects of X-ray irradiation doses on biological variables of S. litura and the most effective release ratio determined here provide a theoretical foundation for using radiation sterilization technology to control S. litura.