Bromine-82 contamination in fission product 99mTc-generator eluate

Following receipt of fission product 99mTc-generators, results of radionuclide purity analysis, performed within 30 min after the first elution, demonstrated detectable levels of a contaminate radionuclide not previously reported. Gamma spectroscopy and half-life determinations confirmed the presence of 82Br. Bromine-82 activity, in eluates from the first elution of 30 generators, received weekly during a 7-month period, ranged from 0.22 microCi (8.235 kBq) to 0.67 microCi (24.68 kBq) per eluate. The ratio of 99Mo to 99mTc ranged from 0.13 nCi to 0.39 nCi per mCi 99mTc. The presence of 82Br in 99mTc-generator eluate resulted in falsely elevated 99Mo assay determinations using whole vial 99Mo assay procedures. For every 0.1 microCi 82Br present in 99mTc eluate the 99Mo assay results were elevated by 1 microCi. Gamma spectroscopy of eluates from additional elutions of these generators failed to detect the presence of 82Br demonstrating the displacement of monovalent bromine anions from the alumina column during the first elution.