Comparative study of 99Mo-labeled and neutron irradiated zirconium molybdate gels

Abstract

Elution of 99mTc with physiological saline solution was studied through columns packed with: (a) 99Mo-labeled and (b) neutron irradiated zirconium molybdate gels. It was found that 99mTc and 99Mo behave very differently in each one of the systems used: Through column (a) 99mTc was always eluted in high yields (90%). Initially the gel was not completely insoluble, but it was insolubilized under the effect of the eluent. Through column (b) only 20% of the available 99mTc eluted on the first day and the neutron irradiated zirconium molybdate samples were always partially soluble unstable under elution conditions. These differences were probably due to the chemical effects produced by 98Mo(n, γ) 99Mo reaction in neutron irradiated zirconium molybdate samples. Attempts to insolubilize the recoiled 99Mo in the solid by annealing showed no significant differences in the elution behavior.