Development of preparation method for Tc-99m labelled bamboo biomass radiotracer for its use in pyrolysis reactor

Abstract The objective of this study is preparation of Tc-99m labelled bamboo biomass or bamboo shreds as radiotracer for its eventual use in measurements of flow dynamics in pyrolysis reactors. The bamboo shreds were chemically modified and radiolabeled using short lived radioisotope Tc-99m. The labeled bamboo shreds were characterized for analysis of morphology, crystallinity/amorphous nature, surface functionality and quantitative analysis of transfer of adsorbate using SEM, XRD, FTIR and neutron activation analysis (NAA), respectively. The radiolabeling experiments were performed at different pH of solution, temperature, different concentration of precursors and effect of reducing agent. The experimental condition was optimized for maximum transfer of Tc-99m as pertechnetate onto the shreds. Perrhenate as a non-radioactive analogue of pertechnetate was used as surrogate to investigate the adsorption kinetics as well as to characterize the adsorbed shreds. Freundlich model showed best fit with experimental result for describing the adsorption phenomena. Based on experimentally-determined value of enthalpy, the adsorption was found to be physisorption in nature.