Photonuclear production of medically relevant radionuclide 47 Sc

Formation of Sc radioisotopes under the irradiation of titanium of natural isotopic composition by bremsstrahlung photons with energies up to 55 MeV was studied. The yield of 47Sc is 5·105 Bq/μA h (g/cm2). Inevitable impurities are 46Sc and 48Sc (1.5% and 9.1% of 47Sc radioactivity at EOB, respectively). 47Sc was separated by extraction chromatography on a DGA resin in HNO3 and HCl media. The separation procedure takes about 2 h, the radiochemical efficiency was > 97%. The result was compared with other photonuclear experiments on titanium nuclei. It is shown that the photonuclear method can be used for the production of therapeutic amounts of 47Sc.