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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Photonuclear production of potassium-38

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7187925

Radioactive potassium-38 has been produced by the photonuclear reactions /sup 39/K(..gamma..,n)/sup 38/K and /sup 40/Ca(..gamma..,np)/sup 38/K by using the bremsstrahlung field developed by an electron linear accelerator. Noncarrier-free /sup 38/K was produced by irradiating potassium hydroxide pellets for 30 minutes by using 10 kW of 40-MeV electrons passing through a thick tantalum converter. Yields of 50--70 mCi /sup 38/K per gram KOH irradiated were obtained. Carrier-free /sup 38/K was produced by similarly irradiating shredded calcium metal, obtaining 1--3 mCi per gram of calcium. In both cases, the target material was dissolved in HCl, neutralized and prepared as sterile solutions of KCl for injection. (GRA)

Research Organization:
Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Inst., Bethesda, MD (USA)
OSTI ID:
7187925
Report Number(s):
AD-A-011820; AFRRI-TN-75-2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English