Cold ionizing radiation sterilization

A hydratable gel-forming polymer may be sterilized by chilling the polymer below ambient temperature and sterilizing the chilled polymer using ionizing radiation (e.g., E-Beam radiation). Doing so may reduce the degradation in physical properties caused by ionizing radiation sterilization of the polymer while at ambient temperature, and may preserve or retain desired hydration or gel-forming characteristics. The polymer might be a chitosan and/or further polysaccharides. 本发明涉及冷电离辐射灭菌。形成可水合凝胶的聚合物的灭菌可通过将该聚合物在周围温度以下冷冻并利用电离辐射(例如，电子束辐射)对该冷冻聚合物灭菌来进行。这样做可以降低周围温度下聚合物的电离辐射灭菌所引起的物理性能的降解，并可以保持或保留期望的水合或形成凝胶的特性。