Effects of radiation dose and dose rate on alginate and the use of radiation degraded alginate for peanut.

Aqueous solutions of alginate (4 %) with or without hydrogen peroxide (0-2 % HO) were irradiated under a gamma Co-60 source. The effect of dose rate on the radiation scission yield (Gs) of resulting irradiated alginate was determined. At the dose of 20 kGy, the G(s) value of irradiated alginate decreased with the increase dose rate, suggesting that the irradiation at a suitable dose rate could further improve the radiation chemical yield of degradation.