Gamma radiation depolymerization

Starches also have been depolymerized using low level radiation (109). Granular starch, with less than 23% water content, in the presence of a strong acid can be depolymerized by less than 3 Mrad of gamma radiation. Sources of radiation for the gamma radiation include Co and Cs. An advantage to this technique is that the procedure can be performed at ambient temperatures. 

By gamma ray irradiation of cellulose fibers, it was noticed that a separation of a gas mixture (25-30% H 13-18% CO 45-58% CO and 2-3% CH ) occurs due to the dehydrogenation, depolymerization and glucoside chain destruction. By analyzing the molar mass and polydispersity of the irradiated cellulose fibers with gel permeation chromatography technique, it was concluded that cellulose destruction by high energy radiation profoundly affects the molecular structure on both a primary and supramo-lecular level [34]. 

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