PROGRESS IN CHEMICAL PROCESSING OF LEU TARGETS FOR 99Mo PRODUCTION--1997

Presented here are recent experimental results of our continuing development activities associated with converting current processes for producing fission-product 99 Mo from targets using high-enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium (LEU). Studies were focused in four areas: (1) measuring the chemical behavior of iodine, rhodium, and silver in the LEU-modified Cintichem process, (2) performing experiments and calculations to assess the suitability of zinc fission barriers for LEU metal foil targets, (3) developing an actinide separations method for measuring alpha contamination of the purified 99Mo product, and (4) developing a cooperation with Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory that will lead to approval by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration for production of 99Mo from LEU targets. Experimental results continue to show the technical feasibility of converting current HEU processes to LEU.