DEVELOPMENT ON ~(99)Mo PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY BY MOLYBDENUM SOLUTION IRRADIATION METHOD

摘要

~(99m)Tc for the medical diagnosis is the most widely used radioisotope in the world and its demand is growing up year by year. Importance of the domestic production in Japan is pointed out from a viewpoint of the stable supply of ~(99)Mo, parent nuclide of ~(99m)Tc, because of some troubles on transportation or the research reactor, and so on. Therefore, the (n, γ) method using solid molybdenum target by the hydraulic rabbit irradiation facility has been planned in JMTR.rnIn order to increase the amount of ~(99)Mo production, the molybdenum solution irradiation method was proposed as a new production method having several advantages such as large irradiation volume, high efficient and low cost comparing with conventional enriched ~(235)U(n, f)~(99)Mo method or solid molybdenum target (n, γ) method.rnAiming at the realization of the molybdenum solution irradiation method, un-irradiated and γ ray irradiated tests of the molybdenum solution were carried out, and the combination of potassium molybdate solution and stainless steel was selected as the promising materials from the result of the compatibility and the chemical stability.