Controlling the radiation degradation of carboxymethylcellulose solution

In this study, the effects of an irradiation on the viscosity of the carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) solution were investigated, and the methods to control the degradation of the CMC caused by an irradiation were developed. The viscosity of the CMC solution was decreased with an increase in the irradiation dose, but the extent of the degradation by an irradiation was found to decrease with an increase in the CMC concentration in the solution. The dependency of the irradiation sources showed that an electron beam radiation had degraded the CMC less severely than a gamma ray radiation. An addition of vitamin C as a radical scavenger to the solution was shown to be effective in preventing the decrease of the viscosity of the solution. Also, in the case of an irradiation at −70 °C, the decrease of its viscosity was efficiently inhibited. The degradation of CMC in the solution was confirmed by the molecular weight distribution.