TRASH TO TREASURE:CONVERTING COLD WAR LEGACY WASTE INTO WEAPONS AGAINST CANCER

摘要

As part of its commitment to clean up Cold War legacy sites, the U.S. Department of Energyrn(DOE) has initiated an exciting and unique project to dispose of its inventory of uranium-233rn(rn233 233U) stored at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and extract isotopes that show greatrnpromise in the treatment of deadly cancers. In addition to increasing the supply of potentiallyrnuseful medical isotopes, the project will rid DOE of a nuclear concern and cut surveillance andrnsecurity costs.rnU) For more than 30 years, DOE’s ORNL has stored over 1,200 containers of fissile 233 233U, originallyrnproduced for several defense-related projects, including a pilot study that looked at usingrnU, 233 233U asrna commercial reactor fuel. This uranium, designated as special nuclear material, requiresrnexpensive security, safety, and environmental controls. It has been stored at an ORNL facility,rnBuilding 3019A, that dates back to the Manhattan Project. Down-blending the material to a saferrnform, rather than continuing to store it, will eliminate a $15 million a year financial liability forrnthe DOE and increase the supply of medical isotopes by 5,700 percent.rnU During the down-blending process, thorium-229 ( 229 229Th) will be extracted. The thorium will thenrnbe used to extract actinium-225 (rnTh) 225 225Ac), which will ultimately supply its progeny, bismuth-213rn(rnAc), 213 213Bi), for on-going cancer research. The research includes Phase II clinical trials for therntreatment of acute myelogenous leukemia at Sloan-Kettering Memorial Cancer Center in NewrnYork, as well as other serious cancers of the lungs, pancreas, and kidneys using a techniquernknown as alpha-particle radioimmunotherapy. Alpha-particle radioimmunotherapy is based onrnthe emission of alpha particles by radionuclides.rnBi), 213 213Bi is attached to a monoclonal antibody thatrntargets specific cells. The bismuth then delivers a high-powered but short-range radiation dose,rneffectively killing the cancerous cells but sparing the surrounding tissue. Production of thernactinium and bismuth would be a private venture at no cost to the government.rnBi Isotek Systems, LLC, was commissioned by the DOE to execute the project, known as the 233 233UrnDisposition, Medical Isotope Production, and Building 3019 Complex Shutdown Project. Isotekrnis a partnership between Duratek Federal Services, Burns and Roe Enterprises, and Nuclear FuelrnServices. By pooling their pioneering experiences in nuclear engineering and design, nuclearrnrecycling, and waste management, the partnership has developed a novel process to meet thisrnUclean-up milestone. The project is not only important for its cancer treatment potential, but alsornfor setting the stage for reducing global threats through the down-blending of materials.