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An alternative route for the preparation of the medical isotope 99Mo from the 238U(γ, f) and 100Mo(γ, n) reactions

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Abstract

The radionuclide 99Mo, which has a half-life of 65.94 h was produced from 238U(γ, f) and 100Mo(γ, n) reactions using a 10 MeV electron linac at EBC, Kharghar Navi-Mumbai, India. This has been investigated since the daughter product 99mTc is very important from a medical point of view and can be produced in a generator from the parent 99Mo. The activity of 99Mo was analyzed by a γ-ray spectrometric technique using a HPGe detector. From the detected γ-rays activity of 140.5 and 739.8 keV, the amount of 99Mo produced was determined. For comparison, the amount of 99Mo from 238U(γ, f) and 100Mo(γ, n) reactions was also estimated using the experimental photon flux from 197Au(γ, n)196Au reaction. The amount of 99Mo from the detected γ-lines is in agreement with the estimated value for 238U(γ, f) and 100Mo(γ, n) reactions. The production of 99Mo activity from 238U(γ, f) and 100Mo(γ, n) reactions is a relevant and novel approach, which provides alternative routes to 235,238U(n, f) and 98Mo(n, γ) reactions, circumventing the need for a reactor. The viability and practicality of the 99Mo production from the 238U(γ, f) and 100Mo(γ, n) reactions alternative to 235,238U(n, f) and 98Mo(n, γ) reactions has been emphasize. An estimate has been also arrived based on the experimental data of present work to fulfill the requirement of DOE.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Dr. R. K. Sinha, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission for his keen interest in this work. We are also thankful to the staff of electron LINAC at EBC, Kharghar, Navi-Mumbai, India and Dr. L. M. Gantayet, Associate Director of BTD group, BARC for providing the electron beam to carry out the experiment. We thank to Dr. Mukundhan Rangaswami and Dr. S. L. Narasimhan for fruitful discussions. The authors are very much thankful to the reviewer and editorial staff of this journal for their constructive comments and English corrections of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    H. Naik & A. Goswami

  2. Nuclear Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    S. V. Suryanarayana

  3. Radiopharmaceuticals Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    K. C. Jagadeesan, S. V. Thakare & P. V. Joshi

  4. Accelerator and Pulse Power Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    V. T. Nimje & K. C. Mittal

  5. Radiochemistry and Isotope Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    V. Venugopal

  6. Physics Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    S. Kailas

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  1. H. Naik
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Naik, H., Suryanarayana, S.V., Jagadeesan, K.C. et al. An alternative route for the preparation of the medical isotope 99Mo from the 238U(γ, f) and 100Mo(γ, n) reactions. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 295, 807–816 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-012-1958-9

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