Study of 99Mo and long-lived impurities produced in the natMo(γ,x) reactions using an electron beam

We discuss the possibility of producing 99Mo radioisotope using an electron beam accelerated in the linac injector of the SOLARIS synchrotron. 99Mo with a half-life of 65.94 h, is a parent of the medically important radioisotope 99mTc(T1/2 = 6 h). In our study 99Mo was produced from natMo(γ,x) reaction using Bremsstrahlung γ radiation generated by 60, 100 and 200 MeV electron beams hitting a tungsten radiator located in front of the target. The activity of 99Mo was analysed by off-line γ spectroscopy using a HPGe detector. Auxiliary Monte-Carlo simulations were performed to determine the flux and energy distribution of the Bremsstrahlung photons. The activity thus obtained is high enough to consider the feasibility for commercial purposes of the production of 99Mo through photo-nuclear reactions. Apart from the reaction of interest, the activity of other long-lived radioactive impurities produced from natMo(γ,x) reactions were determined.