addoil
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- Oct 15, 2011
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- HSC
- 2012
I found on an old thread how Tc-99m is produced:
What I don't understand is, if Mo-99 is already a fission product of U-235, which in turn can produce Tc-99m; then why is the Mo-98 required to create Mo-99?
Is it correct if i summarise the production method as follows:
1. U-235 undergoes nuclear fission to produce Mo-98
2. Mo-98 undergoes neutron bombardment to produce Mo-99
98Mo + 1n ---> 99Mo
3. Mo-99 undergoes beta decay to produce Tc-99m
99Mo ---beta decay---> 99mTc + -1e
Technetium-99m is made in one of two ways:
1. Fission of uranium-235 produces Mo-99. This isotope decays into Tc-99m
2. A Mo-98 target is introduced into the core of a nuclear reactor, where it undergoes neutron capture to produce the desired molybdenum-99.
98Mo + 1n ---> 99Mo
99Mo ---beta decay---> 99mTc + -1e
99mTc ---gamma decay---> 99Tc + gamma
What I don't understand is, if Mo-99 is already a fission product of U-235, which in turn can produce Tc-99m; then why is the Mo-98 required to create Mo-99?
Is it correct if i summarise the production method as follows:
1. U-235 undergoes nuclear fission to produce Mo-98
2. Mo-98 undergoes neutron bombardment to produce Mo-99
98Mo + 1n ---> 99Mo
3. Mo-99 undergoes beta decay to produce Tc-99m
99Mo ---beta decay---> 99mTc + -1e