• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2012

We have been performed on $Co^{60}$ ${\gamma}$-ray irradiation of South Sea cultured pearls, with the absorbed dose of 0.1~100 kGy at room temperature. In addition, it was investigated electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and amino acid analysis (AAA) for detection of Gamma irradiated South Sea cultured pearls. It was observed that the irradiated South Sea cultured pearls revealed additional free radical peak such as $CO_2^-$, at a g-factor of $2.001{\pm}0.002$ in EPR spectra. From the amino acid analysis (AAA), it was shown that some of amino acid in the protein of the nacre destroyed after ${\gamma}$-ray; glutamic acid residue by 11.43 %, alanine by 3.11 %, and histidine by 43.75 %. It was useful to detect the irradiated South Sea cultured pearls by EPR measurement in our study.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.165-169
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• 2012

It is very difficult to detect irradiated South Sea cultured pearls (SSCPs) at a low dose by gemological methods (e.g. optical transmission method, microscopic examination, UV fluorescence reaction, and so on). In this study, however, it was possible to distinguish between irradiated SSCPs from un-irradiated SSCPs by ESR analysis. We have analyzed the pearl nacre and nucleus by separating them for the purposed of providing information about the change of $CO^-_2$ radical as growing absorbed doses. And it was found out that the signal of $CO^-_2$ radical of the nacre is more distinct than the nucleus.