Nuclear structure of Hg200

Production of 203Pb from enriched 205Tl using deuteron beams

Lead-203 is a SPECT emitter that can be used in theranostic applications as an imaging counterpart of lead-212 which is intended to be used for alpha therapy as lead-212/bismuth-212 in-vivo generator. In our study, we explore the production of lead-203 using enriched thallium-205 target irradiated by a deuteron beam. Excitation functions of deuteron induced reactions leading to the formation of 204m,203m2+m1+g,202m,201m+gPb, 202Tl and 203m+gHg isotopes were determined experimentally in the energy range from 21 MeV to 34 MeV. Cross sections were measured using the stacked foils technique and a set of two monitor foils, natNi and natTi for beam intensity evaluation. The experimental excitation functions of the investigated reactions were compared with the published data and also with the TENDL-2021 nuclear database. From our experimental data, we calculated lead-203 thick target yield in the energy range between 30 MeV and 32.5 MeV to be 56.7 MBq/μAh ±6.1 MBq/μAh. This value is compatible with large batch production showing that deuteron beams can be used for a routine production process. However, special attention must be paid to 203Hg and other lead contaminants.

Evaluation of different production routes for the radio medical isotope ²⁰³Pb using TALYS 1.4 and EMPIRE 3.1 code calculations

(203)Pb radio-medical isotope has found great field of applications in nuclear medicine over the last decades. The previously measured excitation functions for the production of this isotope from different reactions were discussed, in order to confirm the most reasonable ones. Fitting curves were given for some reactions leading to the production of this isotope. The theoretical models TALYS 1.4, and EMPIRE 3.1 were used to construct the excitation functions for protons, deuterons, helium-3 and helium-4 induced reactions on Tl and Hg targets. The results of different models were compared with each other as well as with the collected experimental results, using the mean weighted deviation (F), and the relative variance (D) statistical parameters. Thick target yields were estimated, based on the discussed excitation functions, and compared with some measured values.