Molybdenum-99 Production Techniques for Medical Applications
Summary
Molybdenum-99 is the parent radionuclide of technetium-99m, the most widely used tracer in diagnostic nuclear medicine. Conventional supply relies on uranium-fission in ageing research reactors, a centralised model vulnerable to outages. In response, multiple alternative routes have been developed to secure reliable, decentralised production. These include neutron capture on molybdenum-98 in power reactors, accelerator-driven neutron sources inducing (n,2n) reactions on molybdenum-100, photonuclear transmutation via high-energy gamma irradiation, and direct cyclotron bombardment of enriched molybdenum targets. Each route requires tailored target design, efficient chemical dissolution or separation processes, and generator systems for technetium-99m recovery. Recent advances have focused on green chemistry for target dissolution, robust materials for high-current bombardment, nanomaterial-enhanced sorbents in generators, and automation to streamline purification and minimise waste. Taken together, these innovations aim to bolster global Mo-99/Tc-99m availability, reduce reliance on fission reactors, and adapt production to regional demand.
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Molybdenum-99 Production Techniques for Medical Applications publication trend
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Technical terms
99mTc (Technetium-99m): A metastable gamma-emitting isotope used as a tracer in nuclear diagnostic imaging.
99Mo (Molybdenum-99): The parent radionuclide of technetium-99m, produced by fission or alternative activation reactions.
Photonuclear transmutation: Generation of radioisotopes by exposing nuclei to high-energy photons (gamma rays).
Accelerator-driven neutron source: A system that produces neutrons via particle accelerators, enabling isotope production without a reactor.
Cyclotron: A type of particle accelerator in which charged particles (protons) spiral under a magnetic field to bombard target materials.
Sputter deposition: A vacuum-based technique for depositing thin films by ejecting atoms from a target material onto a substrate.
References
- Dissolution of Molybdenum in Hydrogen Peroxide: A Thermodynamic, Kinetic and Microscopic Study of a Green Process for 99mTc Production. Molecules (2023).
- New strategies for a sustainable 99mTc supply to meet increasing medical demands: Promising solutions for current problems. Frontiers in Chemistry (2022).
- Innovative Target for Production of Technetium-99m by Biomedical Cyclotron. Molecules (2018).
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