TcGenerator Development: Up-to-DateTcRecovery Technologies for Increasing the Effectiveness ofMoUtilisation

A review on the$\text{Mo}$sources available today and on the$\text{Tc}$generators developed up to date for increasing the effectiveness of$\text{Mo}$utilisation is performed in the format of detailed description of the features and technical performance of the technological groups of the$\text{Mo}$production and$\text{Tc}$recovery. The latest results of the endeavour in this field are also surveyed in regard of the technical solution for overcoming the shortage of$\text{Mo}$supply. The technological topics are grouped and discussed in a way to reflect the similarity in the technological process of each group. The following groups are included in this review which are high specific activity$\text{Mo}$: the current issues of production, the efforts of more effective utilisation, and the high specific activity$\text{Mo}$-based$\text{Tc}$generator and$\text{Tc}$concentration units; low specific activity$\text{Mo}$: the$\text{Mo}$production based on neutron capture and accelerators and the direct production of$\text{Tc}$and the methods of increasing the specific activity of$\text{Mo}$using Szilard-Chalmers reaction and high electric power isotopic separator; up-to-date technologies of$\text{Tc}$recovery from low specific activity$\text{Mo}$: the solvent extraction-based$\text{Tc}$generator, the sublimation methods for$\text{Mo}$/$\text{Tc}$separation, the electrochemical method for$\text{Tc}$recovery, and the column chromatographic methods for$\text{Tc}$recovery. Besides the traditional$\text{Tc}$-generator systems, the integrated$\text{Tc}$generator systems ($\text{Tc}$generator column combined with postelution purification/concentration unit) are discussed with the format of process diagram and picture of real generator systems. These systems are the technetium selective sorbent column-based generators, the high Mo-loading capacity column-based integrated$\text{Tc}$generator systems which include the saline-eluted generator systems, and the nonsaline aqueous and organic solvent eluent-eluted generator systems using high Mo-loading capacity molybdategel and recently developed sorbent columns.$\text{Tc}$concentration methods used in the$\text{Tc}$recovery from low specific activity$\text{Mo}$are also discussed with detailed process diagrams which are surveyed in two groups for$\text{Tc}$concentration from the saline and nonsaline$\text{Tc}$-eluates. The evaluation methods for the performance of$\text{Tc}$-recovery/concentration process and for the$\text{Tc}$-elution capability versus Mo-loading capacity of generator column produced using low specific activity$\text{Mo}$source are briefly reported. Together with the theoretical aspects of$\text{Tc}$/$\text{Mo}$and sorbent chemistry, these evaluation/assessment processes will be useful for any further development in the field of the$\text{Tc}$recovery and$\text{Mo}$/$\text{Tc}$generator production.