molecules Article Defining Processing Times for Accelerator Produced 225Ac and Other Isotopes from Proton Irradiated Thorium Jonathan Fitzsimmons 1,* , Justin Griswold 2 , Dmitri Medvedev 1, Cathy S. Cutler 1 and Leonard Mausner 1 1 Isotope Production Laboratory, Collider-Accelerator Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA;
[email protected] (D.M.);
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[email protected] (L.M.) 2 Isotope and Fuel Cycle Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA;
[email protected] * Correspondence: jfi
[email protected]; Tel.: +1-631-344-4453 Received: 20 February 2019; Accepted: 18 March 2019; Published: 20 March 2019 Abstract: During the purification of radioisotopes, decay periods or time dependent purification steps may be required to achieve a certain level of radiopurity in the final product. Actinum-225 (Ac-225), Silver-111 (Ag-111), Astatine-211 (At-211), Ruthenium-105 (Ru-105), and Rhodium-105 (Rh-105) are produced in a high energy proton irradiated thorium target. Experimentally measured cross sections, along with MCNP6-generated cross sections, were used to determine the quantities of Ac-225, Ag-111, At-211, Ru-105, Rh-105, and other co-produced radioactive impurities produced in a proton irradiated thorium target at Brookhaven Linac Isotope Producer (BLIP). Ac-225 and Ag-111 can be produced with high radiopurity by the proton irradiation of a thorium target at BLIP. Keywords: Isotope production; Actinium-225; Silver-111; MCNPX; Thorium; proton irradiation; fission products; Sr-82; critical process parameter 1. Introduction Typically, it is best to commence isotope purification as soon as possible after the End of Bombardment (EOB), to minimize losses due to decay.