Analysis of alpha, beta and gamma emitting radionuclide impurities in waste materials generated from cyclotron produced 18F
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Abstract
The production of radioisotopes from medical PET cyclotrons generates waste materials contaminated with radionuclide impurities as well as neutron activated radionuclides within building materials inside the cyclotron vault. The aim of this study was to analyze radionuclide impurities in waste materials generated from cyclotron produced (16.5 MeV PETtrace 800, GE) 18F with alpha, beta and gamma spectrometry. The following radionuclides were found among the generated waste: 48Sc, 51Cr, 52Mn, 55,56,57,58Co, 93mMo, 66,67Ga, 95,95m,96Tc, and 181,182,182m,183,184Re as well as the pure beta emitter 3H with an activity of 15.8 kBq. Furthermore, the following neutron activated radionuclides within the building materials inside the vault were identified: 24Na, 46Sc, 51Cr, 56,57,58Co , 122,124Sb, 140La, and 152Eu. The activity of the radionuclides in the waste was compared to national regulations regarding clearance levels, and one of the waste components need a storage time of 3 days until they can be discarded as regular waste.