Use of (99m)Tc from a commercial (99)Mo/(99m)Tc generator as yield tracer for the determination of (99)Tc at low levels.

The concentrations of (99)Tc and impurity radionuclides in the (99m)Tc tracer solution obtained from a commercial (99)Mo/(99m)Tc generator were measured by gamma spectrometry and liquid scintillation counting. (99)Mo and (103)Ru were found in the (99m)Tc eluate. A simple separation using two extra alumina cartridges was investigated to purify the eluate to obtain a suitable (99m)Tc tracer with low (99)Tc concentration. The activity ratio of (99)Tc/(99m)Tc in the prepared (99m)Tc solution is lower than 15 x 10(-9), which is higher than the theoretical ratio of less than 10 x 10(-9). The possible reason is discussed. The (99)Tc in the 20 kBq spiked (99m)Tc tracer was found to be less than 0.3 mBq, which is lower than the detection limit of the radiometric method used for environmental samples. The purified (99m)Tc eluate is used as yield tracer for the determination of low levels of (99)Tc in environmental samples.