Extraction of Gadolinium from High Flux Isotope Reactor Control Plates

摘要

Gadolinium-153 is an important radioisotope used in the diagnosis of various bone disorders. Recent medical and technical developments in the detection and cure of osteoporosis, a bone disease affecting an estimated 50 million people, have greatly increased the demand for this isotope. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has produced sup 153 Gd since 1980 primarily through the irradiation of a natural europium-oxide powder followed by the chemical separation of the gadolinium fraction from the europium material. Due to the higher demand for sup 153 Gd, an alternative production method to supplement this process has been investigated. This process involves the extraction of gadolinium from the europium-bearing region of highly radioactive, spent control plates used at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) with a subsequent re-irradiation of the extracted material for the production of the sup 153 Gd. Based on the results of experimental and calculational analyses, up to 25 grams of valuable gadolinium (greater than or equal to60% enriched in sup 152 Gd) resides in the europium-bearing region of the HFIR control components of which 70% is recoverable. At a specific activity yield of 40 curies of sup 153 Gd for each gram of gadolinium re-irradiated, 700 one-curie sources can be produced from each control plate assayed. (ERA citation 12:034717)