Currently, the majority of ⁹⁹Mo is produced from high-enriched uranium at five nuclear research reactors around the world. Smaller amounts are produced from low-enriched uranium in at least three reactors. But this dependency on nuclear reactors often is challenging, as several of these reactors are ageing .

Propelled by such challenges, new methods for production of medical isotopes are emerging, including through the use of electron accelerators. One such new method for producing medical radioisotopes has passed its first milestone, by exposing a target to an electron beam at energy densities several orders of magnitude higher than found at the core of the Sun. This achievement paves the way for alternative radioisotope production methods using electron accelerators that do not require enriched uranium and produce little nuclear waste.

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Fast Electrons Accelerate the Production of Medical Isotopes

Source: physicsworld