Recycling of O-18 enriched water used in F-18 cyclotron production

: Todorov B, Belovezhdova I, Alanen O, Airaksinen AJ, Djingova R

Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

: 2019

: Applied Radiation and Isotopes

: APPLIED RADIATION AND ISOTOPES

: APPL RADIAT ISOTOPES

: 145

: 109

: 115

: 7

: 0969-8043

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2018.12.013

A simple, effective, easy-handling and reliable method for recycling of [O-18]H2O from fluorine-18 production, was developed based on co-precipitation, co-crystallization and distillation. Preliminary experiments with normal H2O were used to determine the optimal purification conditions, which were tested for purification of used [O-18]H2O from a scientific and commercial F-18-production facility. The obtained recycled [O-18]H2O had comparable quality to commercially available 180 enriched water. The loss of weight for enriched water was about only 7% and losses of 180 enrichment about 1.3% +/- 0.2%. The method ensures elimination of radioisotopes (99.7% +/- 0.1%), organic compounds (99.5% +/- 0.1%) and trace metals (99.8% +/- 0.1%) with special attention on radiation safety with dosimetry control checks and in total 1000 times mass reduction of the initial radioactive waste.