1.1 This document outlines dosimetric procedures to be followed for the radiation-induced reproductive sterilization of live insects for use in pest management programs. The primary use of such insects is in the Sterile Insect Technique, where large numbers of reproductively sterile insects are released into the field to mate with and thus control pest populations of the same species. A secondary use of sterile insects is as benign hosts for rearing insect parasitoids. A third use is for testing detection traps for fruit flies and moths, and testing mating disruption products for moths. The procedures outlined in this document will help ensure that insects processed with ionizing radiation from gamma, electron, or X-ray sources receive absorbed doses within a predetermined range. Information on effective dose ranges for specific applications of insect sterilization, or on methodology for determining effective dose ranges, is not within the scope of this document.


NOTE 1—Dosimetry is only one component of a total quality assurance program to ensure that irradiated insects are adequately sterilized and fully competitive or otherwise suitable for their intended purpose.


1.2 This document provides information on dosimetry for the irradiation of insects for these types of irradiators: selfcontained dry-storage 137Cs or 60Co irradiators, self-contained low-energy X-ray irradiators (maximum processing energies from 150 keV to 300 keV), large-scale gamma irradiators, and electron accelerators (electron and X-ray modes).


NOTE 2—Additional, detailed information on dosimetric procedures to be followed in installation qualification, operational qualification, performance qualification, and routine product processing can be found in ISO/ASTM Practices 51608 (X-ray [bremsstrahlung] facilities processing at energies over 300 keV), 51649 (electron beam facilities), 51702 (large-scale gamma facilities), and 52116 (self-contained dry-storage gamma fa ...