Questions: What two isotopes are contained in your eluate? (from a Mo / Tc generator)

Transcript text: What two isotopes are contained in your eluate? (from a $\mathrm{Mo} / \mathrm{Tc}$ generator)

Solution

Solution Steps

Step 1: Understanding the Mo/Tc Generator

A Mo/Tc generator is a device used in nuclear medicine to extract technetium-99m ($^{99\text{m}}\text{Tc}$) from molybdenum-99 ($^{99}\text{Mo}$). The generator works by allowing the decay of $^{99}\text{Mo}$ to $^{99\text{m}}\text{Tc}$, which is then eluted (washed out) from the generator for medical use.

Step 2: Identifying the Isotopes in the Eluate

The eluate from a Mo/Tc generator primarily contains two isotopes:

Technetium-99m ($^{99\text{m}}\text{Tc}$): This is the desired radioactive isotope used in medical imaging.
Technetium-99 ($^{99}\text{Tc}$): This is a decay product of $^{99\text{m}}\text{Tc}$ and is present in smaller amounts.