Experiences in the routine production of123I via the124Te(p, 2n)123I reaction with a low energy cyclotron

This paper deals with the results and experimental observations obtained in routine production of¹²³I via¹²⁴Te(p, 2n)¹²³I reaction, using the low energy cyclotron (protons, E_max=22 MeV) at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. The reaction was studied during the past 4 years using¹²⁴TeO₂ targets with various levels of enrichment. The purpose of the study was to determine which target material provided the highest quality and most economical production of¹²³I. A viable routine production was defined as one in which¹²³I could be conveniently and reproducably prepared in reasonable purity while maintaining a low cost for the entire process. Different methods of sublimation of¹²³I activity from the¹²⁴TeO₂ target were examined to determine the optimal conditions for recovery of radioactivity and recycling of target material. A rapid method is described which permits quantitative separation of¹²³I while allowing only a negligible loss of¹²⁴TeO₂.     

123I production at the Milan AVF cyclotron

The production of¹²³I from enriched¹²⁴Te is described. Preliminary experiments on a distillation separation of iodine from the Te target have been performed and the method seems promising in comparison to the time-consuming chemical separation technique.     

Production of123I using the CV-28 cyclotron at IPEN-CNEN/SP

These studies had the purpose of establishing the optimal conditions for the production of¹²³I through the¹²⁴Te (p, 2n)¹²³I reaction, using the CV-28 Cyclotron (E_max=24 MeV for protons) at IPEN-CNEN/SP. Two different targets (TeO₂ and TeO₂+2% Al₂O₃) were irradiated in order to check their physical resistance against beam current (up to 12 A) and length of irradiation (10 min — 2h), and to evaluate the recovery of the radioiodine produced, by a dry distillation process with a high frequency induction furnace. Later on, enriched¹²⁴TeO₂ (96.2%) targets were irradiated, and¹²³I was produced routinely with a production yield of (3. 31±0.07) mCi/Ah, 1.7% of¹²⁴I at EOB and radiochemically pure.     

Preparation of99Mo,132Te isotopes and99mTc,132I generators

Adsorption and desorption of⁹⁵Zr−⁹⁵Nb,⁹⁹Mo,¹⁰³Ru,¹³²Te and²³⁹Np in a HCl-alumina system were studied in order to purify⁹⁹Mo and¹³²Te obtained by the cation-exchange separation of fission products and to prepare highly pure^99mTc and¹³²I generators.⁹⁹Mo and¹³²Te, of which radionuclidic purity was over 99.99% and 99.999%, respectively, could be obtained by passing the cation-exchange separated Mo and Te fractions through alumina columns, by washing with HCl and finally by eluting⁹⁹Mo with 1M NH₄OH and¹³²Te with 3M NaOH. In order to raise the recovery of⁹⁹Mo and¹³²Te from the alumina columns, they should be eluted as quickly as possible after the adsorption. The direct use of the alumina column containing⁹⁹Mo or¹³²Te as the generator allowed milking of^99mTc or¹³²I, of which radionuclidic purity was over 99.999%. Milking yields of^99mTc with 0.1M HCl and¹³²I with 0.01M NH₄OH were 77% and 90%, respectively. The latter value was much higher than that in usual performance of the generator.     

Iodine-123 production at a small cyclotron for medical use

An improved method has been developed to obtain highly enriched [¹²³Te] tellurium for the production of medically important¹²³I. Excitation function of the¹²³Te(p,n)¹²³I reaction, production yields and radionuclidic impurity levels were determined as a function of bombarding energy and target thickness.     

Experiences in routine production of123I in Manitoba for delivery to other Canadian centres

An experience at¹²³I production with a low beam current cyclotron used in combination with the¹²⁴Te(p, 2n)¹²³I reaction on 90.8% enrichment¹²⁴Te is described.     

Evidence for the reaction of a long-lived monotypic species of iodine in the gas phase

A monotypic long-lived radioactive iodine of¹²³I or¹²⁵I resulting from the¹²³I or¹²⁵Xe(EC)¹²⁵I nuclear transformation, respectively, is described. The iodine species has the characteristics thought peculiar to the hydrated halogen that participates in certain concerted termolecular halogen-halogen reactions. The reaction leading to¹²³ICl or¹²⁵ICl in gas phase substrates of Cl₂, NOCl, HCl and CCl₄ was studied. Deceased, visiting scientist during 1972 from the Institute of Atomic Physics, Bucharest. Romania.     

Radiochemical separation of110mAg,210Pb,127Te and131I from aqueous nitric acid solution by bis-2-(butoxyethyl ether)

A bis-2-(butoxyethyl ether) (DBC) solvent extraction method has been developed for the radiochemical separation of^110mAg,²¹⁰Pb,¹²⁷Te and¹³¹I in varying concentrations of aqueous HNO₃. Various factors were examined to determine the optimum conditions of extraction. The effect of various masking agents has been studied. The extraction of¹³¹I is enhanced to 99% at 2.4M HNO₃ in the presence of KSCN.¹³¹I was stripped into aqueous sodium hydroxide from the oxygenated organic extractant. The method was then applied for the recovery of¹³¹I from neutron irradiated tellurium metal. The mechanism and reactivity of DBC with metal ions is described.     

Tellurium interference with ultratrace platinum analysis during nickel sulphide fire-assay and neutron activation

The determination of ultratrace concentrations of Pt in rock samples using nickel sulphide fire assay combined with neutron activation analysis (NiS-NAA) is influenced by the presence of Te in the irradiated noble metal concentrate. Interference caused by^123mTe on the 158 keV peak of¹⁹⁹Au (produced from¹⁹⁸Pt) is discussed with reference to a noble metal standard (Wits-1) and sedimentary rocks which generally have low Pt concentrations and high Te/Pt ratios. The importance of a rigorously controlled dissolution of the fire assay button to achieve complete removal of Te is emphasized.     

Excitation functions of proton induced nuclear reactions on natural tellurium up to 18 MeV for validation of isotopic cross sections

Summary Excitation functions of proton induced nuclear reactions on natural Te were investigated up to 18 MeV. Cross sections for production of ^{121,123,124,126,128,130g}I and ^121gTe were measured. The new experimental data were compared with the results of ALICE-IPPE model calculations and with data found in the literature and measured on natural or enriched Te targets. The new data can be effectively used for validation of recommended cross sections of medically relevant ¹²³I and ¹²⁴I.     

Production of123I and28Mg by high-energy nuclear reactions for applications in life sciences

The advantages of high energy cyclotrons as compared to small compact cyclotrons for the production of special radionuclides are outlined. The routine production of¹²³I (T=13.3 h) and²⁸Mg (T=21.1 h) by means of high energy nuclear reactions at the Jülich Isochronous Cyclotron is described. The reaction¹²⁷I(d,6n)^{123 123}I at 78 to 64 MeV is used for the production of¹²³I with thick target yields of 8 mCi/μAh and high radionuclidic purity. The practical experience in the application of this process, which is well suited for the production of Na¹²³I and for¹²³Xe-exposure labelling techniques, is reported.²⁸Mg is produced by the²⁷Al(α, 3p)²⁸Mg reaction at E_α=140 to 30 MeV with thick target yields of 40 μCi/μAh. The carrier-free²⁸Mg is separated from the matrix activities by coprecipitation and anion exchange with chemical yields of 80%.     

Anion-exchange and solvent extraction studies on the separation of radioiodine with particular reference to the production of 123I via proton irradiation of 123Te metal target

The separation of radioiodine was investigated using two wet chemical procedures, namely anion-exchange and solvent extraction. Some factors affecting the separation, such as HCl, NaOH and tetrabutyl ammonium bromide (TBAB) concentrations, used solvents ethyl acetate, benzene and carbon tetrachloride and different quaternary ammonium salts were studied. For each procedure the optimum conditions were deduced. The separation of ¹²³I was effected from proton-irradiated ¹²³Te target under the optimized conditions of the two procedures. The yield of ¹²³I obtained using the Dowex 21k anion-exchanger and tetrabutyl ammonium bromide solution as eluting agent was 88±3%; the radionuclidic purity was high and the time needed was 60 minutes. In solvent extraction process using TBAB in ethyl acetate as the extracting agent, the yield of ¹²³I was low (47±3%), the radionuclidic purity was not as good as in the anion-exchange method, and the time needed was 150 minutes. Therefore, the anionexchange method is preferable. A comparison of this wet chemical method of separation of ¹²³I with the commonly used dry distillation method is given. The wet method appears to be more suitable when a ¹²³Te metal target is used.     

123mTe as a calibration standard for123I

A method preparing solutions of a mixed chloro, bromo-complex of tellurium labeled with^123mTe is described. The solutions are shown to be excellent standards for calibrating radioisotope dose calibrators used to measure¹²³I.     

Nuclear charge distribution in the spontaneous fission of252Cf: Determination of fractional cumulative yields of133mTe and133gTe

The fractional cumulative yields (FCY) of^133mTe and^133gTe in the spontaneous fission of²⁵²Cf were measured for the first time by a radiochemical method. The values ofFCY are 0.533±0.014 and 0.291±0.042 for^133mTe and^133gTe, respectively. The isomeric state to ground state fractional independent yield (FIY) ratio of¹³³Te,R, was found to be 3.5. The root-mean-square angular momentum of the primary fragment corresponding to the fission product¹³³Te, Jr.m.s.=8.8h, was estimated according to a simple one-parameter statistical model. The fractional cumulative yields from this work together with other literature data in the mass region A=131–141 are compared with the normal yields given by the empiricalZ _p model by Whhl. It suggests that both theN=82 neutrons shell and nucleus pairing effects are not apparent for the spontaneous fission of²⁵²Cf.     

Separation of carrier-free115mIn from115Cd and132I from132Te over the zirconium oxide column

A new way of radiochemical separation of carrier-free^115mIn from¹¹⁵Cd and¹³²I from¹³²Te over the column of zirconium oxide is described. Activities of Cd and In in equilibrium in dilute acetic acid solution were bufferred with dilute sodium acetate and fed into the column at a pH 7, when cadmium activity passed out unadsorbed and the^115mIn was adsorbed in the column. A study of the γ-ray peak of the separated^115mIn showed that the product is of high radionuclidic purity. Te-I pair was separated by passing the weakly acidic solution of¹³²Te and¹³²I in the presence of AgNO₃ and Na₂SO₃, through the column where both activities were adsorbed. Iodine was washed outh with 5% sodium thiosulphate solution and the retained tellurium activity was later washed out with 6M HNO₃. The β-decay study showed that the separated¹³²I product is of high radiochemical purity. The processes took less than half an hour and the yields were quantitative.     

Cross-section calculations of proton induced (p,n) and (p,2n) reactions for production of diagnostic 67Ga, 81Rb, 111In, 123,124I, 123Cs and 123Xe radioisotopes

Investigation of pre-equilibrium (PEQ) and equilibrium (EQ) effects on proton induced reactions for production of radioisotopes are very important. Therefore, in this study, we have calculated the PEQ and EQ cross-sections for ⁶⁷Zn(p,n)⁶⁷Ga, ⁶⁸Zn(p,2n)⁶⁷Ga, ⁸²Kr(p,2n)⁸¹Rb, ¹¹¹Cd(p,n)¹¹¹In, ¹¹²Cd(p,2n)¹¹¹In, ¹²³Te(p,n)¹²³I, ¹²⁴Te(p,2n)¹²³I, ¹²⁴Te(p,n)¹²⁴I and ¹²⁴Xe(p,2n)¹²³Cs reactions for production diagnostic radioisotopes. Calculations have been performed by using the hybrid model, geometry dependent hybrid model and full exciton model of PEQ reaction mechanism with 1–40 MeV proton incident energy. We have also investigated the EQ effects on these reactions using the Weisskopf–Ewing model in the same energy range. The excitation functions including the PEQ and EQ effects on these reactions are evaluated by using the ALICE/ASH (2006) and the TALYS 1.4 (2011) codes. Our results have shown that using these codes is suitable for production diagnostic isotopes mentioned above. To obtain excitation functions for producing the diagnostic radioisotopes the PEQ mechanism has been found more dominant than that of the EQ. The results are discussed and compared with the available experimental data.     

Die Pentafluoro-orthoselen- und -orthotellurgruppe,eine 19F-Kernresonanzuntersuchung

A ¹⁹F-NMR Study of the (Pentafluoro)orthoselenium and -tellurium Group In ¹⁹F-nmr the (pentafluoro)orthoselenium and (pentafluoro)orthotellurium groups show characteristic AB₄ spectra. Chemical shifts give information about the different bondings. The axial fluori ne atom is often more influenced, a certain trans effect may be discussed. The values of is otopic splittings, coming from ⁷⁷Se agree with these observations, isotopic splittings from ¹²³Te und ¹²⁵Te are much less important. Comparison is done with selected compounds containing a (pentafluoro)orthosulphur group.     

Enriched stable isotopes for 123I production: Pathways and prospects

Large-scale production of radioisotopes for medical application was impeded by limited capabilities of the electromagnetic separation. Nowadays the centrifuge separation process involves more than two dozens of chemical elements. The cost of isotopes is incomparably lower than of those produced by electromagnetic separation, which has made enriched isotopes more practicable and has extended their application scope. The development of new isotope targets has ensured the realization of more effective schemes of ¹²³I production. The processes of ¹²⁴Xe and ¹²³Te production are reviewed.     

Oscillator strengths for resonance transitions in neutral selenium and tellurium derived from time-resolved laser spectroscopy

We have measured radiative lifetimes for selenium and tellurium resonance levels by using short pulse laser excitation in differentially heated resonance cells. We obtained τ(³ S ₁ Se I)=2.9(5) ns and τ(³ S ₁ Te I)=3.1(5) ns, which together with branching ratio values given by Ubelis and Berzinsh yield the absorption oscillator strengthf _abs(Se I, 196.0 nm)=0.074(16) andf _abs(Te I, 214.3 nm)=0.098(17).