Development of a dry distillation technology for the production of 131I using medium flux reactor for radiopharmaceutical applications

The present article describes the development of an indigenous technology for large scale production of I-131 based on the neutron irradiation of TeO2 target followed by the separation of I-131 using dry distillation technique. In one batch, typically 180 g of natural TeO2 was irradiated for a period of 21 days in a thermal neutron flux of similar to 5 x 10(13) n cm(-2) s(-1), which after chemical processing provided similar to 1.85 TBq (50 Ci) of I-131. The suitability of I-131 for medical application was evaluated scrupulously in order to ensure compliance with stipulated pharmacopoeia requirement.