Development of fundamental technologies for domestic production of medical radioisotope (technetium-99m); The First and second phase report (FY2014-2020)

Project 6 Meeting Members for Tsukuba International Strategic Zone

JAEA-Review 2021-016, 102 Pages, 2021/11

JAEA-Review-2021-016.pdf:12.76MB

In December 2011, the Prime Minister designated Tsukuba and some areas in Ibaraki Prefecture as "Comprehensive Special Zones". In the Tsukuba International Strategic Zone, nine advanced research and development (R&D) projects are underway with the goal of promoting industrialization of life innovation and green innovation utilizing the science and technology in Tsukuba. In these projects, the domestic production of medical radioisotope (Technetium-99m, Tc) was certified as a new project in October 2013, and R&D have been performed in collaboration with related organizations with Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) as the project leader. Japan is the third largest consumer of molybdenum-99 (Mo) after the United States and Europe, and all Mo are imported. Supply will be insufficient if overseas reactors are shut down due to trouble or if transportation (air and land transportations) is stopped due to volcanic eruptions and some accidents. Thus, early domestic production of Mo is strongly required. This project is a technology development aimed at domestic production of Mo, which is a raw material of Tc used as a diagnostic agent. This report summarizes the activities carried out in the first and second phase of the domestic production of medical radioisotope (Tc) (here referred to as the "Project 6") in Tsukuba International Strategic Zone (FY2014-2020).

Inclination of self-interstitial dumbbells in molybdenum and tungsten; A First-principles study

Suzudo, Tomoaki; Tsuru, Tomohito

AIP Advances (Internet), 11(6), p.065012_1 - 065012_7, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0048740

In the current study, we analyzed the self-interstitial atoms (SIAs) in BCC molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W) in comparison with other BCC transition metals utilizing first-principles method; particularly, we focused on uncommon dumbbells, whose direction are inclined from 111 toward 110 on the {110} plane. Such a direction is not stable neither in the group 5 BCC metals (i.e., vanadium, niobium, and tantalum) nor in -iron. Our first-principles relaxation simulations indicated that inclined dumbbells were more energetically-favored than common 111 dumbbells in Mo, while this is not necessarily the case for W. However, under a certain degree of lattice strain, such as shear or expansive strain, could make inclined dumbbells more favored also in W, suggesting that the lattice strain can substantially influence the migration barrier of SIAs in these metals because inclined dumbbells generally have a larger migration barrier than 111 dumbbells.

Two-step-pressurization method in pulsed electric current sintering of MoO for production of Tc radioactive isotope

Suematsu, Hisayuki*; Sato, Soma*; Nakayama, Tadachika*; Suzuki, Tatsuya*; Niihara, Koichi*; Nanko, Makoto*; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko

Journal of Asian Ceramic Societies (Internet), 8(4), p.1154 - 1161, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.1080/21870764.2020.1824326

Pulsed electric current sintering of molybdenum trioxide (MoO) was carried out by one- and two-step pressuring methods for fabrication of irradiation target using production of Mo and Tc nuclear medicine. At 550C by the two-step pressurizing method, a relative density of 93.1% was obtained while, by the one-step pressurization method, the relative density was 76.9%. Direct sample temperature measurements were conducted by inserting a thermocouple in a punch. By the two-step pressurizing method, the sample temperature was higher than that by the one-step pressurizing method even almost the same die temperature. From voltage and current waveforms, it was thought that the conductivity of the sample increased by the two-step pressurizing method to increase the sample temperature and the relative density. The two-step pressurization method enables us to prepare dense targets at a low temperature from recycled and coarse-grained Mo enriched MoO powder.

Extraction performance of a fluorous phosphate for Zr(IV) from HNO solution; Comparison with tri--butyl phosphate

Ueda, Yuki; Kikuchi, Kei; Sugita, Tsuyoshi; Motokawa, Ryuhei

Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, 37(5), p.347 - 359, 2019/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/07366299.2019.1638015

We have newly-designed fluorous phosphate(TFP) for the effective Zr(IV) ion extractant as an alternative extractant against the conventional organic phosphate, tri--butyl phosphate(TBP). Zr(IV) ion extraction system using the TBP has many problems such as the formation of the third phase during liquid-liquid extraction. Here, we develop the fluorous extraction system based on the TFP-perfluorohexane for the Zr(IV) ion extraction to improve the Zr(IV) ion extraction system with an effective extractability and without the third phase formation. Our main findings were that the significant high extraction performance of the TFP for Zr(IV) ion as compared with TBP, and the origins of the high extraction performance of the TFP are related to the water and HNO contents in the fluorous phase and the stability of the complex, Zr(No)(TFP).

Development of separation process for Pd by extraction with 5,8-diethyl-7-hydroxy-6-dodecanone oxime

Morita, Yasuji; Yamagishi, Isao

JAEA-Research 2017-006, 27 Pages, 2017/06

JAEA-Research-2017-006.pdf:1.83MB

Separation of Pd by extraction with 5,8-diethyl-7-hydroxy-6-dodecanone oxime (DEHDO) was examined by batch and continuous tests for the purpose of developing Pd separation process. Batch extraction tests using n-dodecane solution of DEHDO revealed that Pd, Zr and Mo were extracted from simulated high-level radioactive liquid wastes (HLLW) and other elements were not, and also showed that the extraction rate was a little slow and a white precipitate appeared in the aqueous phase but its formation could be avoided by raising temperature. The extracted Pd was found to be back-extracted with sodium nitrite. In the continuous extraction tests with simulated HLLW without Zr and Mo, about 98% of Pd were extracted with DEHDO-n-dodecane and 95% of the extracted Pd were back-extracted with sodium nitrite and nitric acid. Continuous extraction test with simulated HLLW with Zr and Mo showed the possibility of the simultaneous separation of Pd and Mo by DEHDO extraction.

Neutron polarization analysis for biphasic solvent extraction systems

Motokawa, Ryuhei; Endo, Hitoshi*; Nagao, Michihiro*; Heller, W. T.*

Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, 34(5), p.399 - 406, 2016/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/07366299.2016.1201980

Performance tests of radiation detectors for inspection of Mo/Tc solution, 1

Suzuki, Yumi*; Nakano, Hiroko; Suzuki, Yoshitaka; Ishida, Takuya; Shibata, Akira; Kato, Yoshiaki; Kawamata, Kazuo; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko

JAEA-Technology 2015-031, 58 Pages, 2015/11

JAEA-Technology-2015-031.pdf:14.57MB

Technetium-99m (Tc) is one of the most commonly used radioisotopes in the field of nuclear medicine. In the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), the research and development (R&D) have been carried out for production of molybdenum-99 (Mo) by (n, ) method, a parent nuclide of Tc, with the Japan Material Testing Reactor (JMTR). On the other hand, the new project as "Domestic Production of Medical Radioisotope (Technetium preparation) in Japan" was adopted in the Tsukuba International Strategic Zone on October, 2013 and the demonstration tests will be planned for the domestic production of Mo/Tc with the JMTR. Thus, new facilities and analysis devices were equipped in the JMTR Hot Laboratory in 2014 as the part of this project. As the part of the analytical device equipment, the -TLC analyzer and the radiation detector connected with the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) were installed for quality inspection of the Mo/Tc solution and the extracted Tc solution in the JMTR Hot Laboratory. The performance tests of these devices such as detection sensitivity, resolution, linearity and selectivity of energy range were carried out with Cs and Eu as alternative radionuclides of Mo and Tc, respectively. In the results, bright prospects were obtained concerning the quality inspection of the Mo/Tc and Tc solutions using these devices. This report describes the results of those performance tests.

Persuit for new passive drag reducing surfaces

Akino, Norio

Haiteku Shimpojium Yamaguchi 2001 Teiko Gensho Seigyo Shimpojium Rombunshu, p.37 - 43, 2001/11

no abstracts in English

Electrode reaction of the Np/Np couple in LiCl-KCl eutectic melts

Shirai, Osamu; Iizuka, Masatoshi*; Iwai, Takashi; Arai, Yasuo

Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 31(9), p.1055 - 1060, 2001/09

https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017987110008

no abstracts in English

Excavation and preparation rock block sample for LABROCK

Uchida, Masahiro; Yoshino, Naoto

JNC TN8410 2001-015, 35 Pages, 2001/05

JNC-TN8410-2001-015.pdf:1.73MB

This technical report summarizes excavation and preparation of the natural rock block sample used in LABROCK. This report was originally compiled by PNC in March, 1993.