Feasibility and improvement in production of 191Os/191mIr generator by Tehran Research Reactor (TRR)

This manuscript describes an investigation on the production of 191Os/191mIr by Tehran Research Reactor (TRR).191Os-hexachloro-osmate was obtained by thermal neutron (4 × 1013 cm−2 s−1) irradiation of enriched 190Os sample followed by fusion with KOH and KNO3 in acidic media. One of the important radionuclide impurities is 192Ir that is produced during irradiation in reactor. Separation this impurity from 191Os is developed by a new approach in this research and the total recovery yield of 191Os is about 99% and the total time required for completion the procedure is about 30 min. This method improved the yield and the time of performance in comparison with values published in literature.191Os is loaded on an anion-exchange column and 191mIr eluted with normal saline. Each elution is 1 ml of 0.9% saline at pH 6.5–7. The yield of generator was assessed for 2 weeks. 191mIr yield is 15–18% and 191Os breakthrough is about 2 × 10−4–2 × 10−3.

► In this study production of Osmium-191/Iridium-191m generator by Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) has performed.
► Purification of Osmium-191 from Iridium-192 was improved.
► The closed system for fusion of Osmium with KNOH and KNO3 was developed.
► The characteristics of generator structure and loading were assessed.
► The biodistribution of Osmium compound in case of breakthrough was investigated.