Luna Barua

A simple and rapid technique for recovery of 99mTc from low specific activity (n,γ)99Mo based on solvent extraction and column chromatography

A simple and inexpensive method of separation of (99m)Tc from (99)Mo produced by neutron activation of (98)Mo via the (98)Mo(n,gamma)(99)Mo nuclear reaction is described. The recovery of (99m)Tc was performed by solvent extraction technique followed by column (active alumina) chromatography. The overall radiochemical yield for the complete separation of (99m)Tc was 85-95% (n=10). The separated Na[(99m)Tc]TcO(4) was of high radionuclidic, radiochemical, and chemical purities. The method can be adopted for routine use of (99m)Tc in hospital radio-pharmacies utilizing low-medium specific activity (n,gamma)(99)Mo produced in a research reactor.

A computerized compact module for separation of 99mTc-radionuclide from molybdenum

An automated closed cycle module for the separation and recovery of various isotopes, radioactive or non-radioactive, using solvent extraction and column chromatography techniques, and in particular, for separation and recovery of (99m)Tc from low-medium specific activity (99)Mo, is described. The module may also be applicable for separation of (99m)Tc produced in a cyclotron. The module is safe and reliable to avoid human interference and hazards posed by handling of radioactive and hazardous chemicals. The entire system of automation includes a user-friendly PC based graphical user interface (GUI) that actually supervises the process via an embedded system based electronic controller.

Production of 61Cu using natural cobalt target and its separation using ascorbic acid and common anion exchange resin.

(61)Cu was produced by (nat)Co(α, xn)(61)Cu reaction. (61)Cu production yield was 89.5 MBq/μAh (2.42 mCi/μAh) at the end of irradiation (EOI). A simple radiochemical separation method using anion exchange resin and ascorbic acid has been employed to separate the product radionuclide from inactive target material and co-produced non-isotopic impurities. The radiochemical separation yield was about 90%. Radiochemical purity of (61)Cu was >99% 1 h after EOI. Final product was suitable for making complex with N(2)S(2) type of ligands.

A simple and rapid technique for recovery of 99mTc from low specific activity (n,γ)99Mo based on solid–liquid extraction and column chromatography methodologies

A simple and inexpensive method has been developed for the separation of (99m)Tc from (99)Mo produced from the neutron activation of (98)Mo by (98)Mo(n,gamma)(99)Mo nuclear reaction. The recovery of (99m)Tc was performed by solid-liquid extraction based on alumina column chromatography. The overall radiochemical yield for the complete separation of (99m)Tc was 85-97% (n=5). The separated Na[(99m)Tc]TcO(4) was of high radionuclidic, radiochemical and chemical purities. The method can be adopted for routine processing and use of (99m)Tc in radiopharmacy operations.

A compact solvent extraction based 99Mo/99 mTc generator for hospital radiopharmacy

A compact and portable 99Mo-99 mTc generator based on solvent-extraction, mimic to the conventional 99Mo-99 mTc alumina column generator is much-needed commodity for use in hospital radiopharmacy setup. The present study includes the development of a portable, simple and low cost 99Mo/99 mTc-generator based on MEK solvent extraction technique to obtain a very high concentration of no-carrier added (nca) 99 mTc solution, where low specific activity 99Mo source is obtained through 98Mo(n, γ)99Mo reaction in a research reactor. The unit is intended for operation under the conditions of medical radiological laboratories. Technical trials showed that the mean time of preparation of sodium [99mTc] pertechnetate radiopharmaceutical did not exceed 15 min. The quality and yield of 99 mTc-pertechnetate is upto the mark for formulation of radiopharmaceuticals.

Radioactive ion beams of 111In using ECR plasma sputtering method

Radioactive ion beams of 111In (indium-111, half-life 2.8 days) have been produced using the plasma sputtering method in an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre RIB facility. Indium isotopes were first produced by bombarding a natural silver target with a 32 MeV, 40 μA alpha particle beam from the K-130 cyclotron. After radio-chemical separation, about 25 mCi In-chloride was deposited on an aluminum electrode and inserted in the plasma chamber of the ECR. Indium ions produced by ion induced sputtering in the plasma were extracted from the ion source, isotopically separated, and a pure 111In beam was measured at the focal plane of the separator. The measured 111In beam intensity was 2.67 × 105 particles/s for a beam energy of 5 keV.

Development of a Ne gas target for 22Na production by proton irradiation

The article presents the design and development of a neon gas target for the production of (22)Na using a proton beam from the room temperature cyclotron in Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata. The target design is made to handle a beam power of 85 W (17 MeV, 5 μA). The design is based on simulation using the computer code FLUKA for the beam dump and CFD-CFX for target cooling. The target has been successfully used for the production of (22)Na in a 6 day long 17 MeV, 5 μA proton irradiation run.