Spectrophotometric evaluation of a Nickel-based complex solution for use as a radiation dosimeter

In this paper, the spectrophotometric properties of a colored Nickel-based solution complex (Nickel nitrate hexahydrate and Methyl Orange (MO)) were investigated as a stable chemical dosimeter for using in radiation processing of agricultural products. Its simple synthesis method as well as low cost made it a suitable dosimeter for use in radiation processing. The variation of absorbed dose was applied to measure the absorbed dose. The maximum absorbance for the solution was observed at 460 nm. This solution was irradiated at three different concentrations of Ni(No3)2.6H2O and MO by Co-60 gamma-ray. Also the variation of the absorbance as a function of PH of the solution was investigated. The results showed the solution absorbance decreases with an increase in doses, and this solution can be used as a routine dosimeter and has a linear response in the 50 to 1500 Gy range with acceptable stability in environmental conditions up to 40 days before and after irradiation.