Alternative route for the preparation of medical isotope 99mTc from 238U(γ,f) and 100Mo(γ,n) reaction

Radionuclide 99Mo having half-life of 66 h was prepared from 238U(γ,f) and 100Mo(γ,n) reactions using 10 MeV electron linac at EBC, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. This has been done because its daughter product 99mTc is very important from medical applications point of view, which can be milked out from the parent 99Mo. The γ-ray activity of 99Mo was analyzed by γ-ray spectrometric technique using HPGe detector coupled to a PC based MCA. A typical γ-ray spectrum of 99Mo from 100Mo(γ,n) reaction has been given and from 238U(γ,f). From the 140 keV γ-line, amount of 99Mo produced is being estimated using standard decay equation. The 100Mo(γ,n) reaction cross-section used for its estimation was obtained using TALYS 1.2 computer code. The activity of 99Mo obtained at 10 MeV Bremsstrahlung is lower than the activity from 98Mo(n,γ) route at thermal neutron. At endpoint, Bremsstrahlung energy of 15-20 MeV the activity of 99Mo obtained is comparable to the activity from 98Mo(n,γ) route by thermal neutron. Similarly the activity produced from 238U(γ,f) is also estimated and was found to be higher than in 100(γ,n). These methods provide an alternative route to 98Mo(n,γ) and 238U(n,f) reactions circumventing the need for reactor