The latest update from Nuclear Medicine Europe’s (NMEU) Emergency Response Team indicates that the existent disruption successful the accumulation of aesculapian radioisotopes mightiness not beryllium arsenic deleterious arsenic primitively thought.
On November 4, NMEU stated that inspections astatine the downed BR2 reactor had been finalized. Pending discussions with information authorities connected November 7, the projected restart day for the reactor is Nov. 17.
In precocious October, a mechanical nonaccomplishment was uncovered during inspections of the Belgium reactor. This find resulted successful further investigations and delayed the reactor’s restart date, which enactment the proviso and organisation of invaluable radioisotopes—Mo-99 and Tc-99m—in jeopardy. Stakeholders were told to hole for shortages that could past done the extremity of November.
As a mitigation tactic, the SAFARI reactor located successful South Africa extended its rhythm to November 19 to marque up for the delay. Additionally, the LVR-15 reactor successful the Czech lands has expedited its restart date—it volition present resume operations starting connected Nov. 18 alternatively of the antecedently planned Nov. 29.
Although operations astatine the BR2 reactor volition resume shortly, NMEU indicates that the disruption could inactive effect successful shortages of Mo-99 and I-131 that past done astatine slightest the 3rd week of November. It is imaginable that owed to a planned outage astatine 1 of the reactors that produces I-131, accumulation of that isotope could besides beryllium intermittently interrupted until February.
The adjacent update connected the concern is expected to beryllium released connected Tuesday, November 8.
To work the latest connection from NMEU, click here.
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