Purification of 89Sr from FBTR irradiated Yttria target by extraction chromatography using HDEHP impregnated XAD-7 resin

89Sr is used in bone pain palliative care of cancer patients and the same is being produced presently via the 89Y(n, p)89Sr reaction by irradiating yttria target in Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR). An efficient separation method was standardized for the removal of bulk yttrium target by extraction chromatography using di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP) impregnated on XAD-7 resin. In the present paper, the extraction behavior of Sr(II) and Y(III) was studied as a function of the concentration of nitric acid in the aqueous phase and concentration of HDEHP in the resin phase. The separation of Sr(II) and Y(III) was standardized using the above resins and the method was subsequently applied satisfactorily for the removal of yttrium from the dissolver solution of FBTR irradiated yttria pellet towards the purification of 89Sr. A baseline separation of 89Sr and Y was achieved. Leaching and breakthrough capacity studies were evaluated for the resins and it was established that the stability and capacity of the resins were satisfactory. The breakthrough capacity was found to be 12 mg Y(III) per gram of the HDHEP resin whereas the leaching studies established that the resins are stable for multiple cycle of operations.

Stability characteristics of the 500 mw Indian PFBR

After the successful operation of the fast breeder test reactor for over two decades, India is now nearing the completion of a 500 MW (electrical) prototype fast breeder reactor. This commercial scale power reactor is a sodium-cooled, pool-type, mixed-oxide fuelled fast reactor. The stability characteristics of the reactor are an important safety aspect to be studied. In the present work, linear stability of the prototype fast breeder reactor analysis is carried out using the transfer function method, while the stability of the system is checked via the Nyquist criteria. For the completeness of the study, transient analysis with various kinds of reactivity perturbations was carried out. The response of the system in both cases indicated that the system is stable.

Feasibility studies for production of 89Sr in the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR)

Summary 89Sr, a pure beta emitter with half life of 50.53 d is used as its chloride solution for palliative care of bone metastases. This paper describes the feasibility studies that have been conducted at FBTR, IGCAR for production of this radionuclide using the 89Y(n, p)89Sr reaction. Yttria pellets were irradiated in a special subassembly at the core centre for a total of 73 d in two steps of 35 d and 38 d with a time gap of 38 d. The irradiated yttria target was dissolved in nitric acid and the bulk Y was separated by solvent extraction using the TBP-HNO3 complex. The 89Sr fraction was purified using the cation exchange resin DOWEX 50W×8 (100-200 mesh size) from the other radioactive impurities seen. The eluted 89Sr fraction was assayed using a GM counting system. The 89Sr activity produced in 1 g of yttria pellet was found to be 19 mCi.