Re-utilization of long lived 99Tc radio isotope via Photon induced nuclear reactions

Abstract

Technetium-99 is a radioactive waste produced primarily in nuclear reactors. It is also left as radioactive waste in hospitals, directly from ^99mTc isomeric state. To bring down the quantity of technetium-99 radioactive waste, the nuclear reactions using photon beam is explored. The integral cross section of the reaction ⁹⁹Tc(γ,γ')^99mTc has been determined using the photo-nuclear activation method. The experiment was done using bremsstrahlung photons having endpoint energies viz. 6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 MeV. ¹¹⁵In(γ,γ')^115mIn reaction has been used as a monitor reaction, for the flux normalization of the bremsstrahlung spectrum. Theoretical model calculations have been done using the nuclear reaction code Talys 1.9. Theoretical parameter values are optimized with the presently obtained data. Total cross sections are estimated and investigated the feasibility of re-utilization of the technetium-99 radioactive isotope.

Keywords: Integral cross section; Photon-activation; Technetium-99; Transmutation.