Qualitative Analysis of Long-Lived Residual Radioisotopes in 18 MeV Proton Bombarded Enriched Water Target

Abstract

Residual radioisotope analysis as a result of cyclotron-based 18F production is of paramount importance since it relates to the radiation safety of patients as well as radiation workers. In this investigation, 18-MeV proton beams were employed to irradiate enriched water (H2 18O) target for 18F production while Talys Evaluated Nuclear Data Library (TENDL) 2017 were used to study the origins of the radionuclide impurities. Gamma rays emmitted by the residual radionuclides were detected using a gamma ray spectroscopic system following a month of decay while their origins were analyzed from the TENDL 2017 nuclear cross-section calculations. Experimental results indicated that several long-lived radionuclides such as 109Cd, 57Co, 57Ni, 58Co and 56Co were recorded by the gamma ray spectroscopic system. The long-lived residual radionuclides were presumably due to proton interactions with Havar window and Silver body. Using the TENDL 2017-calculated nuclear cross-sections, it was discovered that several nuclear reactions responsible for the residual radioisotopes include 109Ag(p,n)109Cd which corresponded to the generation of 109Cd radioisotope, 60Ni(p,α)57Co and 58Ni(p,2p)57Co reactions for the formation of 57Co, 58Ni(p,d)57Ni reaction for the production of 57Ni radioisotope, 58Fe(p,n)58Co reaction for the generation of 58Co, and 56Fe(p,n)56Co reaction for the formation of 56Co. This experimental result can be used as a reference for future production of 18F and other radioisotopes should Havar window and silver body are used in the target system.