Re: Ga-67

[denison.8@osu.edu (Eric Denison)]

I can think of two (related) possibilities besides contaminants in the
Ga-67:  a)  you're seeing some component of the (glass?) vial;
b)  you're seeing an "activation product" of sorts formed within the vial wall.

I don't have spectra handy to check these out at present, so that's about
as far as I can go.  One way to find out would be to transfer material out
of one of the vials and see if the readings stop.  Of course, this could
contaminate another vial...

>I have some vials of Ga-67 that are  several years old, yet I am getting
>several photon peaks from the vial. The approximate energies are 25,
>120, 520, and 670 keV. Since Ga-67 has a short half-life (78 hrs) and
>the progeny (Ge-67) also has a short half-life (19 min.) I am at a loss
>as to what I am seeing. Is there another isotope contaminating the
>sample that is an impurity in the production of Ga-67 or is there
>another explanation? The only other isotope being used in the lab is
>Indium. I would appreciate any advice.
>
>--
>James C. Graham - Radiation Safety Officer
>Environmental Health Services
>Colorado State University
>Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-6021
>Off: 970-491-3736  Fax: 970-491-4804
>jgram@lamar.colostate.edu

Eric Denison
1729 Penworth Drive
Columbus OH 43229-5216
denison.8@osu.edu
(former RST at OSU)