Production of Medical 99Mo and Molybdenum-Technetium Generators at the karpov Research Institute of Physical Chemistry

Abstract

This article is devoted to the development of the production of 99Mo used in nuclear medicine. The stages in the development of the production of 99Mo and molybdenum-technetium generators are shown. Production has increased several-fold over the period 2009–2013 and meets the demand of domestic nuclear medicine. The problem of recycling the uranium from an irradiated target after 99Mo is extracted from the target is important and strongly influences the price of 99Mo. A technology for reprocessing uranium-containing tailings with the uranium obtained being returned into the 99Mo production cycle has been developed at the Scientific-Research Institute for Physical Chemistry. This has eliminated the need to purchase expensive high-enrichment uranium for targets and has made it possible to use the uranium remaining from the reprocessing of irradiated targets.