PROCESS FOR THE RECOVERY OF MOLYBDENUM-99 FROM AN IRRADIATED URANIUM ALLOY TARGET

摘要

The invention relates to a process for the recovery of molybdenum99 from an irradiated uranium alloy target. This process comprises the following stages: a) dissolving the irradiated uranium alloy target in sulphuric acid, b) separating the iodine and tellurium present in the thus obtained solution, c) oxidizing the molybdenum-99 present in the Mo (VI) solution, and d) extracting the thus oxidized molybdenum-99 with a hydroxamic acid of formula: (I) in which R is a radical chosen from the group including straight or branched-chain alkyl radicals, the phenyl radical, phenyl radicals substituted by at least one alkyl radical, arylalkyl radicals and the cyclohexyl radical and R' is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical. The hydroxamic acid can be tri-n-butylacetohydroxamic acid and the molybdenum recovered can be used in a technetium generator for medical purposes.