Actinium Production

Actinium production using the IAC Linacs

Funding opportunities

Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0001414

DOE grants (f) Isotope Development and Production for Research and Applications on pg 37

http://science.energy.gov/~/media/grants/pdf/foas/2016/SC_FOA_0001414

The Program also supports isotope production

and basic research at a suite of university accelerator and reactor facilities throughout the Nation to promote a reliable supply of domestic isotopes. Examples of isotope research required to meet national needs include positron-emitting radio nuclides to support the rapidly growing area of medical imaging using positron emission tomography (PET), isotopes supporting medical research used to diagnose and treat diseases spread through acts of bioterrorism, research isotopes for various scientific and biomedical applications, enriched stable isotopes, and alternative isotope supplies for national security applications and advanced power sources. One of the high priorities is to conduct R&D aimed at re-establishing a U.S. capability for enriched stable isotope production. Another high priority is a long-term research effort to produce Ac-225, an isotope that shows great promise in the treatment of diffuse cancers and infections if it can be produced in sufficient quantity and quality. Isotope Program research also provides training opportunities for workforce development in the areas of nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry. These disciplines are essential to the long-term health of the fields of radioisotope production and applications.

Proposal

Can we make Ac-225 using electron accelerators? Ac-225 half life is 10 days. Los Alamos can make world supply in a few days but a cheaper (desktop?) method is needed.

Science

The Reaction

[math]{226 \atop 88} Ra_{138} + \gamma \rightarrow {225 \atop 88} Ra_{137} + {1 \atop 0} n[/math]

[math]{225 \atop 88} Ra_{137} \rightarrow {225 \atop 89} Ac_{136} + {0 \atop -1} e[/math]

The half life of Ra-225 is 14 days and the half life of Ac-225 is 10 days.

Visible gamma lines

Ra-226: 186.211 keV (3%), 83.787 (0.3%), 81.069 (0.2%), 94.247 (0.04%), 97.53 (0.03%), 262 keV (0.005%)

Ac-225: 86.10(1.23), 99.8(1.00),150.1(0.60),157.3 (0.32%),188(0.45%), 216.9 (0.27%), 253.5(0.12%),

According to Patent below, optimal photon energy for production is at 12.5 MeV and activity saturates after 100 days.

Sample

Re-Tasked Sources

The EML reported the measurement of the unradiated sample from a single geiger counter below

EML measurement of A Single Radium Source

The observed lines	Rates from 186 keV Line	Rates from 262 keV line

References

1. LANL producing Ac-225 using accelerated protons on Thorium, claims nuclear data is needed in April, 2012
2. 2011 proposal to build target for Ac-225 production File:Acc Ac-225Proposal 2011.pdf
3. Dubna article from 1996 describing separation of Ac-225 from Th-229 File:Ac225-Th-226Separation 1996.pdf
4. Article in Radiochemistry by Maslov on producing Ac-225 from Ra-226 using electron Linac. File:MaslovArticleonAc-225from Ra-226usingLinac 2005.pdf
5. Gomes report on producing Ac-225 from protons on Th-232 File:GomesReport 9-21-2010.pdf
6. Patent for Ac-225 production using an electron Linac. File:Patent 6680993B2.pdf

IAC_Experiments