Synthetic radioisotope: Difference between revisions

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A synthetic radioisotope is a radionuclide that is not found in nature: no natural process or mechanism exists which produces it, or it is so unstable that it decays away in a very short period of time.^[1] Frédéric Joliot-Curie and Irène Joliot-Curie were the first to produce a synthetic radioisotope in the 20th century.^[2] Examples include technetium-99 and promethium-146. Many of these are found in, and harvested from, spent nuclear fuel assemblies. Some must be manufactured in particle accelerators.^[3]

Production

Some synthetic radioisotopes are extracted from spent nuclear reactor fuel rods, which contain various fission products. For example, it is estimated that up to 1994, about 49,000 terabecquerels (78 metric tons) of technetium were produced in nuclear reactors; as such, anthropogenic technetium is far more abundant than technetium from natural radioactivity.^[4]

Some synthetic isotopes are produced in significant quantities by fission but are not yet being reclaimed. Other isotopes are manufactured by neutron irradiation of parent isotopes in a nuclear reactor (for example, technetium-97 can be made by neutron irradiation of ruthenium-96) or by bombarding parent isotopes with high energy particles from a particle accelerator.^[5]^[6]

Many isotopes, including radiopharmaceuticals, are produced in cyclotrons. For example, the synthetic fluorine-18 and oxygen-15 are widely used in positron emission tomography.^[7]

Uses

Most synthetic radioisotopes have a short half-life. Though a health hazard, radioactive materials have many medical and industrial uses.

Nuclear medicine

The field of nuclear medicine covers use of radioisotopes for diagnosis or treatment.

Diagnosis

Radioactive tracer compounds, radiopharmaceuticals, are used to observe the function of various organs and body systems. These compounds use a chemical tracer which is attracted to or concentrated by the activity which is being studied. That chemical tracer incorporates a short lived radioactive isotope, usually one which emits a gamma ray which is energetic enough to travel through the body and be captured outside by a gamma camera to map the concentrations. Gamma cameras and other similar detectors are highly efficient, and the tracer compounds are generally very effective at concentrating at the areas of interest, so the total amounts of radioactive material needed are very small.

The metastable nuclear isomer technetium-99m is a gamma-ray emitter widely used for medical diagnostics because it has a short half-life of 6 hours, but can be easily made in the hospital using a technetium-99m generator. Weekly global demand for the parent isotope molybdenum-99 was 440 TBq (12,000 Ci) in 2010, overwhelmingly provided by fission of uranium-235.^[8]

Treatment

Several radioisotopes and compounds are used for medical treatment, usually by bringing the radioactive isotope to a high concentration in the body near a particular organ. For example, iodine-131 is used for treating some disorders and tumors of the thyroid gland.

Industrial radiation sources

Alpha particle, beta particle, and gamma ray radioactive emissions are industrially useful. Most sources of these are synthetic radioisotopes. Areas of use include the petroleum industry, industrial radiography, homeland security, process control, food irradiation and underground detection.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Footnotes

^ Libessart, Marion. "Artificial Radioisotope". RJH - Jules Horowitz Reactor. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
^ Libessart, Marion. "Artificial Radioisotope". RJH - Jules Horowitz Reactor. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
^ "Radioisotopes". www.iaea.org. 2016-07-15. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
^ Yoshihara, K (1996). "Technetium in the environment". In Yoshihara, K; Omori, T (eds.). Technetium and Rhenium Their Chemistry and Its Applications. Topics in Current Chemistry. Vol. 176. Springer. doi:10.1007/3-540-59469-8_2. ISBN 978-3-540-59469-7.
^ "Radioisotope Production". Brookhaven National Laboratory. 2009. Archived from the original on 6 January 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ Manual for reactor produced radioisotopes. Vienna: IAEA. 2003. ISBN 92-0-101103-2.
^ Cyclotron Produced Radionuclides: Physical Characteristics and Production Methods. Vienna: IAEA. 2009. ISBN 978-92-0-106908-5.
^ "Production and Supply of Molybdenum-99" (PDF). IAEA. 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
^ Greenblatt, Jack A. (2009). "Stable and Radioactive Isotopes: Industry & Trade Summary" (PDF). Office of Industries. United States International Trade Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.
^ Rivard, Mark J.; Bobek, Leo M.; Butler, Ralph A.; Garland, Marc A.; Hill, David J.; Krieger, Jeanne K.; Muckerheide, James B.; Patton, Brad D.; Silberstein, Edward B. (August 2005). "The US national isotope program: Current status and strategy for future success" (PDF). Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 63 (2): 157–178. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2005.03.004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.
^ Branch, Doug (2012). "Radioactive Isotopes in Process Measurement" (PDF). VEGA Controls. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 4 March 2018.

External links

Map of the Nuclides at LANL T-2 Website Archived 2004-04-04 at the Wayback Machine

[1] Libessart, Marion. "Artificial Radioisotope". RJH - Jules Horowitz Reactor. Retrieved 2024-09-05.

[2] Libessart, Marion. "Artificial Radioisotope". RJH - Jules Horowitz Reactor. Retrieved 2024-09-05.

[3] "Radioisotopes". www.iaea.org. 2016-07-15. Retrieved 2023-06-25.

[4] Yoshihara, K (1996). "Technetium in the environment". In Yoshihara, K; Omori, T (eds.). Technetium and Rhenium Their Chemistry and Its Applications. Topics in Current Chemistry. Vol. 176. Springer. doi:10.1007/3-540-59469-8_2. ISBN 978-3-540-59469-7.

[5] "Radioisotope Production". Brookhaven National Laboratory. 2009. Archived from the original on 6 January 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[6] Manual for reactor produced radioisotopes. Vienna: IAEA. 2003. ISBN 92-0-101103-2.

[7] Cyclotron Produced Radionuclides: Physical Characteristics and Production Methods. Vienna: IAEA. 2009. ISBN 978-92-0-106908-5.

[8] "Production and Supply of Molybdenum-99" (PDF). IAEA. 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 4 March 2018.

[9] Greenblatt, Jack A. (2009). "Stable and Radioactive Isotopes: Industry & Trade Summary" (PDF). Office of Industries. United States International Trade Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.

[10] Rivard, Mark J.; Bobek, Leo M.; Butler, Ralph A.; Garland, Marc A.; Hill, David J.; Krieger, Jeanne K.; Muckerheide, James B.; Patton, Brad D.; Silberstein, Edward B. (August 2005). "The US national isotope program: Current status and strategy for future success" (PDF). Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 63 (2): 157–178. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2005.03.004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.

[11] Branch, Doug (2012). "Radioactive Isotopes in Process Measurement" (PDF). VEGA Controls. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 4 March 2018.

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+{{Short description|Radioisotope that is man-made and is not found in nature}}
 {{refimprove|date=July 2017}}
-A '''synthetic radioisotope''' is a [[radionuclide]] that is not found in nature: no natural process or mechanism exists which produces it, or it is so unstable that it decays away in a very short period of time. Examples include [[technetium]]-95 and [[promethium]]-146. Many of these are found in, and harvested from, spent nuclear fuel assemblies. Some must be manufactured in [[particle accelerator]]s.
+A '''synthetic radioisotope''' is a [[radionuclide]] that is not found in [[nature]]: no natural process or mechanism exists which produces it, or it is so unstable that it decays away in a very short period of time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Libessart |first=Marion |title=Artificial Radioisotope |url=https://jhrreactor.com/en/faq-items/artificial-radioisotope/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=RJH - Jules Horowitz Reactor |language=en-GB}}</ref> Frédéric Joliot-Curie and Irène Joliot-Curie were the first to produce a synthetic radioisotope in the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Libessart |first=Marion |title=Artificial Radioisotope |url=https://jhrreactor.com/en/faq-items/artificial-radioisotope/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=RJH - Jules Horowitz Reactor |language=en-GB}}</ref> Examples include [[technetium]]-99 and [[promethium]]-146. Many of these are found in, and harvested from, [[spent nuclear fuel]] assemblies. Some must be manufactured in [[particle accelerator]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-07-15 |title=Radioisotopes |url=https://www.iaea.org/topics/nuclear-science/isotopes/radioisotopes |access-date=2023-06-25 |website=www.iaea.org |language=en}}</ref>
 ==Production==
-Some synthetic radioisotopes are extracted from spent [[nuclear reactor]] fuel rods, which contain various fission products.  For example, it is estimated that up to 1994, about 49,000 T[[Becquerel|Bq]] (78 [[tonne|metric ton]]) of [[technetium]] was produced in nuclear reactors, which is by far the dominant source of terrestrial technetium.<ref>Topics in current chemistry, vol 176, "Technetium in the environment"</ref> However, only a fraction of the production is used commercially.  Other synthetic isotopes are produced in significant quantities by fission but are not yet being reclaimed.  Other isotopes are manufactured by [[neutron]] irradiation of parent isotopes in a nuclear reactor (for example, Tc-97 can be made by neutron irradiation of Ru-96) or by bombarding parent isotopes with high energy particles from a particle accelerator.<ref>[http://www.bnl.gov/medical/Isotope_Distribution/Isodistoff.htm Brookhaven National Laboratory, Medical Department, "Radioisotope Production."]</ref>
+Some synthetic radioisotopes are extracted from spent [[nuclear reactor]] fuel rods, which contain various [[fission products]]. For example, it is estimated that up to 1994, about 49,000 [[Becquerel|terabecquerels]] (78 [[tonne|metric ton]]s) of [[technetium]] were produced in nuclear reactors; as such, anthropogenic technetium is far more abundant than technetium from natural radioactivity.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Yoshihara|first1=K|editor1-last=Yoshihara|editor1-first=K|editor2-last=Omori|editor2-first=T|title=Technetium and Rhenium Their Chemistry and Its Applications|date=1996|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-3-540-59469-7|chapter=Technetium in the environment|series=Topics in Current Chemistry|volume=176|doi=10.1007/3-540-59469-8_2}}</ref>
+Some synthetic isotopes are produced in significant quantities by fission but are not yet being reclaimed.  Other isotopes are manufactured by [[neutron]] irradiation of parent isotopes in a nuclear reactor (for example, [[technetium-97]] can be made by neutron irradiation of [[ruthenium-96]]) or by bombarding parent isotopes with high energy particles from a particle accelerator.<ref>{{cite web|title=Radioisotope Production|url=http://www.bnl.gov/medical/Isotope_Distribution/Isodistoff.htm|publisher=Brookhaven National Laboratory|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106040156/http://www.bnl.gov/medical/Isotope_Distribution/Isodistoff.htm|archive-date=6 January 2010|date=2009|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Manual for reactor produced radioisotopes.|date=2003|publisher=IAEA|location=Vienna|isbn=92-0-101103-2|url=https://www-pub.iaea.org/books/IAEABooks/6407/Manual-for-Reactor-Produced-Radioisotopes}}</ref>
+Many isotopes, including [[radiopharmaceutical]]s, are produced in [[cyclotron]]s. For example, the synthetic [[fluorine-18]] and [[oxygen-15]] are widely used in [[positron emission tomography]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Cyclotron Produced Radionuclides: Physical Characteristics and Production Methods|date=2009|publisher=IAEA|location=Vienna|isbn=978-92-0-106908-5|url=https://www-pub.iaea.org/books/iaeabooks/7892/Cyclotron-Produced-Radionuclides-Physical-Characteristics-and-Production-Methods}}</ref>
 ==Uses==
-Most synthetic radioisotopes are extremely radioactive and have a short [[half-life]]. Though a health hazard, radioactive materials have many medical and industrial uses.
+Most synthetic radioisotopes have a short [[half-life]]. Though a health hazard, radioactive materials have many medical and industrial uses.
 ===Nuclear medicine===
-The general field of [[nuclear medicine]] covers any use of radioisotopes for
+The field of [[nuclear medicine]] covers use of radioisotopes for diagnosis or treatment.
-diagnosis or treatment.
 ====Diagnosis====
-Radioactive tracer compounds are used to observe the function of various organs and body systems. These compounds use a chemical tracer which is attracted to or concentrated by the activity which is being studied. That chemical tracer incorporates a short lived radioactive isotope, usually one which emits a [[gamma ray]] which is energetic enough to travel through
+Radioactive tracer compounds, [[radiopharmaceutical]]s, are used to observe the function of various organs and body systems. These compounds use a chemical tracer which is attracted to or concentrated by the activity which is being studied. That chemical tracer incorporates a short lived radioactive isotope, usually one which emits a [[gamma ray]] which is energetic enough to travel through the body and be captured outside by a [[gamma camera]] to map the concentrations. [[Gamma camera]]s and other similar detectors are highly efficient, and the tracer compounds are generally very effective at concentrating at the areas of interest, so the total amounts of radioactive material needed are very small.
-the body and be captured outside by a [[gamma camera]] to map the concentrations. Gamma cameras and other similar detectors are highly efficient, and the tracer compounds are generally very effective at concentrating at the areas of interest, so the total amounts of radioactive material needed are very small.
-The metastable [[nuclear isomer]] Tc-99m is a Gamma-emitter widely used for medical diagnostics because it has a short half-life of 6 hours, but can be easily made in the hospital using a "[[technetium-99m generator|technetium-cow]]".
+The metastable [[nuclear isomer]] [[technetium-99m]] is a [[gamma-ray]] emitter widely used for medical diagnostics because it has a short half-life of 6 hours, but can be easily made in the hospital using a [[technetium-99m generator]]. Weekly global demand for the parent isotope [[molybdenum-99]] was {{convert|12000|Ci|TBq|lk=out|order=flip|abbr=on}} in 2010, overwhelmingly provided by fission of [[uranium-235]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Production and Supply of Molybdenum-99|url=https://www.iaea.org/About/Policy/GC/GC54/GC54InfDocuments/English/gc54inf-3-att7_en.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.iaea.org/About/Policy/GC/GC54/GC54InfDocuments/English/gc54inf-3-att7_en.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|publisher=IAEA|access-date=4 March 2018|date=2010}}</ref>
 ====Treatment====
-[[Radiopharmaceutical]]s are any of a number of compounds using a radioisotope for medical treatment, usually by bringing the radioactive isotope to a high concentration in the body near a particular organ. For example, [[iodine]]-131 is used for treating some disorders and tumors of the thyroid gland.
+Several radioisotopes and compounds are used for [[Unsealed source radiotherapy|medical treatment]], usually by bringing the radioactive isotope to a high concentration in the body near a particular organ. For example, [[iodine-131]] is used for treating some disorders and tumors of the [[thyroid]] gland.
 ===Industrial radiation sources===
 {{Expand section|date=July 2017}}
+[[Alpha particle]], [[beta particle]], and [[gamma ray]] radioactive emissions are industrially useful. Most sources of these are synthetic radioisotopes. Areas of use include the [[Uses of radioactivity in oil and gas wells|petroleum industry]], [[industrial radiography]], [[homeland security]], [[process control]], [[food irradiation]] and underground detection.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Greenblatt|first1=Jack A.|title=Stable and Radioactive Isotopes: Industry & Trade Summary|url=https://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/ITS-1.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/ITS-1.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|website=Office of Industries|publisher=United States International Trade Commission|date=2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Rivard|first1=Mark J.|last2=Bobek|first2=Leo M.|last3=Butler|first3=Ralph A.|last4=Garland|first4=Marc A.|last5=Hill|first5=David J.|last6=Krieger|first6=Jeanne K.|last7=Muckerheide|first7=James B.|last8=Patton|first8=Brad D.|last9=Silberstein|first9=Edward B.|title=The US national isotope program: Current status and strategy for future success|journal=Applied Radiation and Isotopes|date=August 2005|volume=63|issue=2|pages=157–178|doi=10.1016/j.apradiso.2005.03.004|url=https://www.isotopes.gov/outreach/reports/Rivard.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.isotopes.gov/outreach/reports/Rivard.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Branch|first1=Doug|title=Radioactive Isotopes in Process Measurement|url=https://www.controlglobal.com/assets/12WPpdf/121105-vega-isotopes-measurement.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.controlglobal.com/assets/12WPpdf/121105-vega-isotopes-measurement.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|publisher=VEGA Controls|access-date=4 March 2018|date=2012}}</ref>
-[[Alpha particle]], [[beta particle]], and [[gamma ray]] radioactive emissions are industrially useful. Most sources of these are synthetic radioisotopes.
 ==Footnotes==
@@ Line 32: / Line 35: @@
 ==External links==
-*[http://t2.lanl.gov/data/map.html Map of the Nuclides at LANL T-2 Website]
+*[http://t2.lanl.gov/data/map.html Map of the Nuclides at LANL T-2 Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040404142354/http://t2.lanl.gov/data/map.html |date=2004-04-04 }}
 [[Category:Radioactivity]]
-[[Category:Radiobiology]]
+[[Category:Radiopharmaceuticals]]
 [[af:Radio-aktiewe isotoop]]