| Grant number: | 15/08922-0 |
| Support Opportunities: | Regular Research Grants |
| Start date: | August 01, 2015 |
| End date: | July 31, 2018 |
| Field of knowledge: | Engineering - Nuclear Engineering - Nuclear Fuel |
| Principal Investigator: | Michelangelo Durazzo |
| Grantee: | Michelangelo Durazzo |
| Host Institution: | Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
Abstract
The Tc-99, which is generated from the Mo-99 nuclear decay, is the most suitable radionuclide for single photon emission computed tomography imaging technique due to its very characteristic and easy detection, combined with its half-life of 6 hours, which is very appropriate for diagnostic tests. The 99Mo is obtained by fission of U-235, being separated chemically from the remaining fission products. The Tc-99m is the decay product of Mo-99 and is supplied as 99Mo/99mTc generators, which provide Tc-99m as the Mo-99 decays. The use of Tc-99 covers 85% of all nuclear imaging diagnostic procedures. In Brazil, the current demand is 320 99Mo/99mTc generators per week, which represents 4% of world demand. Recently, there was a global shortage of medical radioisotopes, creating a crisis in the supply of Mo-99 that profoundly affected the distribution of 99Mo/99mTc generators in Brazil and encouraged the starting of the RMB - Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor project, which aims to make the country independent in the production of radioactive isotopes for medicine. One of the critical points to ensure the success of the RMB project is the development of the technology for manufacturing the irradiation targets for the Mo-99 production by nuclear fission of U-235. The international trend points to the use of targets based on metallic uranium thin foils, which allows increasing four times the mass of U-235 incorporated in the traditional UAlx-Al dispersion targets, quadrupling therefore the capacity of Mo-99 production in the same irradiation routine. The objective of the present project is to develop in Brazil the manufacturing technology of targets based on thin foils of metallic uranium. This technology was recently demonstrated in Indonesian and US. The research project proposed here, in synch with the RMB Project, aims to place Brazil in a position to produce 99Mo using the most modern irradiation targets technology adopted by the international community. (AU)
| Articles published in Agência FAPESP Newsletter about the research grant: |
| More itemsLess items |
| TITULO |
| Articles published in other media outlets ( ): |
| More itemsLess items |
| VEICULO: TITULO (DATA) |
| VEICULO: TITULO (DATA) |