Healing aided by beams of electrons

. The e-beam treatment comes as a spin-off of what was once top secret military technology in the days of the Cold War. Now, new uses are being found for the electron accelerators made in Novosibirsk, Russia each capable of delivering a 20kW stream of 5 MeV particles. Dr Vitaly Malyy, head of the Radiation Technological Center in Zheleznogorsk told Eureka that the wound dressings are made of collagen and chitin, plus antiseptics, anaesthetics and other additives. Since the base materials are natural products, effective sterilisation is vitally important. The beam, which if left focussed on a single spot, is more than powerful enough to melt steel, is scanned from side to side across packaged dressings passing beneath it on a conveyor running at a typical speed of 3m/min. The products are sold under the name of Collahitum-FA. Dr Malyy said that his wife, a surgeon, has applied the preparations with "Great success." Currently, the dressings are only approved for use in Russia, and countries such as India, which recognise Russian approvals. Dr Malyy's team is also expert on the use of radiation to sterilise foodstuffs, which he argues, avoids possible risks from use of potentially carcinogenic chemical preservatives. Dr Vitaliy Malyy Pointers * Scanned electron beams prove to be a very effective method of sterilising packaged wound dressings made from natural products * The same centre is also a centre of excellence in using radiation to preserve foodstuff, as a preferable alternative to potentially carcinogenic chemical preservatives