Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Production of 99Mo/99mTc via photoneutron reaction using natural molybdenum and enriched 100Mo: part 1, theoretical analysis

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A theoretical analysis was performed for the production of 99Mo via the 100Mo(γ,n)99Mo reaction using natural (natMo) and enriched (100Mo) molybdenum targets in a modified NIRTA® Targetry system. High energy electrons from a linear accelerator were simulated on a tungsten converter to produce bremsstrahlung incident on molybdenum targets using the TALYS computer code. All open channels and decay schemes were used to assess the production rates and final amounts of radioactive and stable components at end-of-bombardment (3-day irradiation), and after 2 h of cooling. Computations were performed at an accelerator energy of 40 MeV, correlating to a maximized photon fluence at 14 MeV. Impurities of Zr and Nb were found when utilizing enriched 100Mo (excluding Mo isotopes). Targets utilizing natMo added substantial stable and radioactive impurities of Mo, Nb, Zr, Y, and Sr; however, all but the Mo impurities can be readily separated. This study confirms the potential of producing 99Mo via 100Mo(γ,n)99Mo using natMo with manageable impurities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tollesfon J (2016) Reactor shutdown threatens world’s medical isotope supply. International Weekly Journal of Science web, November 2016

  2. Koster U (2013) Present day production of Mo-99 and alternatives. Paper presented at the Nuclear Instruments and Methods Research, Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble, France

  3. OECD NEA (2010) Review of potential molybdenum-99/technetium-99m production technologies. The supply of medical radioisotopes. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

  4. US firms target revival in domestic Mo-99 production, World Nuclear News. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/C-US-firms-target-revival-in-domestic-Mo-99-production-01051501.html. 01 May 2015

  5. IAEA (2013) Non-HEU production technologies for molybdenum-99 and technetium-99m IAEA nuclear energy series No. NF-T-5.4. IAEA, Vienna

  6. Welsh J, Bigles CI, Valderrabano A (2015) Future U.S. supply of Mo-99 production through fission based LEU/LEU technology. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 305(1):9–12. doi:10.1007/s10967-015-4090-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Neilly B, Allen S, Ballinger J, Buscombe J, Clarke R, Ellis B, Flux G, Fraser L, Hall A, Owen H, Paterson A, Perkins A, Scarsbrook A (2015) Future supply of medical radioisotopes for the UK report 2014. arXivorg physics.med-ph

  8. IAEA (2008) Homogeneous aqueous solution nuclear reactors for the production of Mo-99 and other short lived radioisotopes. IAEA/TECDOC, vol 1601

  9. Stichelbaut F, Jongen Y (2011) Design of accelerator-based solutions to produce 99Mo using lowly-enriched uranium. Nucl Sci Technol 2:284–288. doi:10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2010.04.115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Cuttler JM (2010) Producing Mo-99 in CANDU reactors. In: Canadian Nuclear Society, Montreal, Quebec

  11. Nagai Y, Hatsukawa Y (2009) Production of Mo-99 for nuclear medicine by Mo-100(n,2n)Mo-99. J Phys Soc Jpn 78(3):033201. doi:10.1143/JPSJ.78.033201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Blaauw M, Ridikas D, Baytelesov S, Salas PS, Chakrova Y, Eun-Ha C, Dahalan R, Fortunato AH, Jacimovic R, Kling A, Munoz L, Mohamed NM, Parkanyi D, Singh T, Van Dong D (2017) Estimation of 99Mo production rates from natural molybdenum in research reactors. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 311(1):409–418. doi:10.1007/s10967-016-5036-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. IAEA (2015) Feasibility of producing 99Mo on a small scale using fission of low enriched uranium or neutron activation of natural molybdenum. Technical reports series, vol 478. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria

  14. Nagai Y, Nakahara Y, Kawabata M (2017) Quality of 99mTcO4− from 99Mo produced by 100Mo (n, 2 n) 99Mo. J Phys Soc Jpn 86(5):053202. doi:10.7566/JPSJ.86.053202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Bertsche K (2010) Accelerator production options for Mo-99. Journal Name: Conf.Proc.C100523:MOPEA025, 2010; Conference: 1st international particle accelerator conference: IPAC’10, 23–28 May 2010, Kyoto, Japan. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC)

  16. Tsechanski A, Bielajew AF, Archambault JP (2016) Electron accelerator-based production of molybdenum-99: bremsstrahlung and photoneutron generation from molybdenum vs. tungsten. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res Sect B 366:124–139. doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2015.10.057

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. de Jong MS (2015) Producing medical isotopes with electron linacs. In: 2015 CAP congress, Calgary, Alberta, CA, 16 Jun 2015

  18. Nakai K, Takahashi N, Hatazawa J, Shinohara A, Hayashi Y, Ikeda H, Kanai Y, Watabe T, Fukuda M, Hatanaka K (2014) Feasibility studies towards future self-sufficient supply of the 99Mo-99mTc isotopes with Japanese accelerators. Proc Jpn Acad Ser B 90(10):413–421. doi:10.2183/pjab.90.413

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Gopalakrishna A, Naik H, Suryanarayana SV, Naik Y, Nimje VT, Nayak BK, Sarkar SK, Padmanabhan S, Kothalkar C, Naskar P, Dey AC, Goswami A (2016) Preparation of 99Mo from the 100Mo(γ, n) reaction and chemical separation of 99mTc. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 308(2):431–438. doi:10.1007/s10967-015-4481-y

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Beaver JE, Hupf HB (1971) Production of Tc-99m on a medical cyclotron: a feasibility study. J Nucl Med 12(11):739–741

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Cieszykowska I, Janiak T, Barcikowski T, Mielcarski M, Mikolajczak R, Choinski J, Barlak M, Kurpaska L (2017) Manufacturing and characterization of molybdenum pellets used as targets for 99mTc production in cyclotron. Appl Radiat Isot 124:124–131. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.03.006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Lagunas-Solar MC, Kiefer PM, Carvacho OF, Lagunas CA, Cha YP (1991) Cyclotron production of NCA 99mTc and 99Mo. An alternative non-reactor supply source of instant 99mTc and 99Mo—99mTc generators. Int J Radiat Appl Instrum A 42(7):643–657

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Strydom HJ, Ronander E, Viljoen J, Kemp G, Grant JJ, Uys PE, Esterhuyse BD (2016) Production of 100Mo for Cyclotron conversion to 99mTc. Paper presented at the 2016 Mo-99 topical meeting, St. Louis, Missouri, 11–14 Sept 2016

  24. Naik H, Suryanarayana SV, Jagadeesan KC, Thakare SV, Josh PV, Nimje VT, Mitta KC, Goswami A, Venugopal V, Kailas S (2013) 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(1):807–816

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Ronander E, Strydom HJ, Viljoen J (2012) ASP separation technology for isotope and gas separation. Paper presented at the 12th International Worshop on Separation Phenomena in Liquids and Gases, Paris, France, 2012

  26. Ross CK, Diamond WT (2015) Predictions regarding the supply of 99Mo and 99mTc when NRU ceases production in 2018. ArXiv e-prints 1506

  27. Rovais MR, Aardaneh K, Aslani G, Rahiminejad A, Yousefi K, Boulouri F (2016) Assessment of the direct cyclotron production of (99m)Tc: an approach to crisis management of (99m)Tc shortage. Appl Radiat Isot 112:55–61. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.03.017

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Celler A, Hou X, Benard F, Ruth T (2011) Theoretical modeling of yields for proton-induced reactions on natural and enriched molybdenum targets. Phys Med Biol 56(17):5469–5484. doi:10.1088/0031-9155/56/17/002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Lebeda O, van Lier EJ, Stursa J, Ralis J, Zyuzin A (2012) Assessment of radionuclidic impurities in cyclotron produced (99m)Tc. Nucl Med Biol 39(8):1286–1291. doi:10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2012.06.009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Stolarz A, Kowalska JA, Jasinski P, Janiak T, Samorajczyk J (2015) Molybdenum targets produced by mechanical reshaping. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 305(3):947–952. doi:10.1007/s10967-015-3956-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Rasor NS, McClelland JD (1960) Thermal properties of graphite, molybdenum and tantalum to their destruction temperatures. J Phys Chem Solids 15(1):17–26. doi:10.1016/0022-3697(60)90095-0

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Soppera N, Bossant M, Dupont E (2014) JANIS 4: an improved version of the NEA java-based nuclear data information system. Nucl Data Sheets 120:294–296. doi:10.1016/j.nds.2014.07.071

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Koning AJ, Rochman D, Kopecky J, Sublet JC, Bauge E, Hilaire S, Romain P, Morillon B, Duarte H, van der Marck S, Pomp S, Sjostrand H, Forrest R, Henriksson H, Cabellos O, Goriely S, Leppanen J, Leeb H, Plompen A, Mills R (2015) TENDL-2015: TALYS-based evaluated nuclear data library. https://tendl.web.psi.ch/tendl_2015/tendl2015.html. Accessed Feb 2017

  34. Koning AJ, Rochman D (2012) Modern nuclear data evaluation with the TALYS code system. Nucl Data Sheets 113(12):2841–2934. doi:10.1016/j.nds.2012.11.002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Koning AJ, Hilaire S, Duijvestijn MC (2008) TALYS-1.0. In: Bersillon O, Gunsing F, Bauge E, Jacqmin R, Leray S (eds) Proceedings of the international conference on nuclear data for science and technology—ND2007, Nice, France, 2007. EDP Sciences, 2008, pp 211–214

  36. NNDC (2017) Q-value calculator. http://www.nndc.bnl.gov/qcalc/

  37. Goorley T (2012) Initial MCNP6 release overview. Nucl Technol 180(3):298–315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Beil H, Bergère R, Carlos P, Leprêtre A, De Miniac A, Veyssière A (1974) A study of the photoneutron contribution to the giant dipole resonance in doubly even Mo isotopes. Nucl Phys A 227(3):427–449. doi:10.1016/0375-9474(74)90769-6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Kosako K, Oishi K, Nakamura T, Takada M, Sato K, Kamiyama T, Kiyanagi Y (2010) Angular distribution of bremsstrahlung from copper and tungsten targets bombarded by 18, 28, and 38 MeV electrons. J Nucl Sci Technol 47(3):286–294. doi:10.1080/18811248.2010.9711956

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Nordell B, Brahme A (1984) Angular distribution and yield from bremsstrahlung targets (for radiation therapy). Phys Med Biol 29(7):797–810

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Takada M, Kosako K, Oishi K, Nakamura T, Sato K, Kamiyama T, Kiyanagi Y (2013) Angular distributions of absorbed dose of Bremsstrahlung and secondary electrons induced by 18-, 28- and 38-MeV electron beams in thick targets. Radiat Prot Dosim 153(3):369–383. doi:10.1093/rpd/ncs114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. NCRP (2005) Radiation protection for particle accelerator facilities: recommendations of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. NCRP report no. 144, Washington, DC

  43. NCRP (1964) Shielding for high-energy electron accelerator installations; recommendations of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. NCRP report no. 97. National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC

  44. Tur YD (2000) Linear electron accelerator for the medical isotopes production. In: 7th European particle accelerator conference, Vienna, Austria, 2000. EPAC, pp 2560–2562

  45. Morley TJ, Dodd M, Gagnon K, Hanemaayer V, Wilson J, McQuarrie SA, English W, Ruth TJ, Benard F, Schaffer P (2012) An automated module for the separation and purification of cyclotron-produced 99mTcO4. Nucl Med Biol 39(4):551–559. doi:10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2011.10.006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Gagnon K, Wilson JS, Holt CM, Abrams DN, McEwan AJ, Mitlin D, McQuarrie SA (2012) Cyclotron production of (9)(9)mTc: recycling of enriched (1)(0)(0)Mo metal targets. Appl Radiat Isot 70(8):1685–1690. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2012.04.016

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Das MK, Das SS, Madhusmita Nayer MA, Chattopadhyay S, Barua L, Datta S (2017) Separation of Mo from Nb, Zr and Y: applicability in the purification of the recovered enriched 100Mo used in the direct production of 99mTc in cyclotrons. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 311(1):643–647. doi:10.1007/s10967-016-5000-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Lewis RE (1971) Production of high specific activity 99Mo for preparation of technetium-99m generators. Int J Appl Radiat Is 22(10):603–609. doi:10.1016/0020-708x(71)90027-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. de Jong MS (2012) Producing medical isotopes using X-rays. In: IPAC congress 2012, New Orleans, LA, 24 May 2012, pp 3177–3179

  50. FDA (1989) Drug master files: guidelines. Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, Texas A&M University, 3133 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    T. Michael Martin, Talal Harahsheh, Benjamin Munoz, Zaher Hamoui, Ryan Clanton, Jordan Douglas & Gamal Akabani

  2. Environmental Health Safety and Corporate Services, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 6900 Fannin, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    T. Michael Martin

  3. MEVEX Corporation, 108 Willowlea Road, Stittsville, ON, K2S 1B4, Canada

    Peter Brown

  4. Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies, 4478 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    Gamal Akabani

Authors
  1. T. Michael Martin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Talal Harahsheh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Benjamin Munoz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zaher Hamoui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ryan Clanton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jordan Douglas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Peter Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Gamal Akabani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Michael Martin.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 49 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Martin, T.M., Harahsheh, T., Munoz, B. et al. Production of 99Mo/99mTc via photoneutron reaction using natural molybdenum and enriched 100Mo: part 1, theoretical analysis. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 314, 1051–1062 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5455-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5455-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation