Production Potential of 47Sc Using Spallation Neutron Flux at the Los Alamos Isotope Production Facility

Abstract

Scandium-47 (T1/=3.41d) forms stable complexes with aminopolycarboxylic acids, useful as tumor biomarkers or antigens. Its therapeutic beta emissions at 441.1 keV and 600.5 keV are coupled with an imageable 159.4 keV gamma to permit in vivo-tracking of compound biodistribution. Currently, its wider clinical application is hindered by lack of availability, even as interest grows in radioscandium-based pharmaceuticals. We have investigated the Ti-47(n,np)Sc-47, 50Ti(n,3p) Sc-47,V-nat(n,x)Sc-47, and Ti-nat(n,x)Sc-47 reactions as potential routes to therapeutically relevant quantities of Sc-47. Targets of V-nat, Ti-nat and enriched Ti-47 (95.7% isotopic abundnace) and Ti-50 (83.1%) oxide targets were exposed to the spallation neutrons resulting from the proton-irradiation of RbCl and Ga targets at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Isotope Production Facility (IPF). Radioisotopic purities of 47Sc in excess of 90% are achieved by activation of Ti-47 targets with an instantaneous production rate of 0.29+/-0.03 micro-Ci/g per Ah, and small yields of Ca-47 produce Sc-47 with 100% purity from activation of Ti-50.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 27, 2014
Accession Number
ADA600715

Entities

People

  • Kerriann A. Delorme

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Beta Decay
  • Beta Particles
  • Chemical Properties
  • Data Analysis
  • Detectors
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Gamma Rays
  • Measurement
  • Neutron Bombardment
  • Neutron Flux
  • Nuclear Reactors
  • Production Engineering
  • Radioactive Decay
  • Radiotherapy
  • United States
  • United States Government

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Analytical Mechanics
  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.