Isotope Alchemy

Download a print-friendly version of this article.

Isotopes make possible some of today’s most crucial science, from medical diagnoses and treatments to environmental monitoring and nuclear nonproliferation work. But the isotopes used for these applications are radioactive, often short-lived, and not easy to come by, and that’s where the Lab’s Isotope Production Facility (IPF) comes in. Stationed along the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center’s linear proton accelerator, the IPF creates a range of radioisotopes by irradiating other elements using a 100 megaelectron volt (MeV) pulsed proton beam. “It’s like modern-day alchemy,” says Kirk Rector, program director for the Department of Energy (DOE) Isotope Program at the Lab. “The IPF lets us transmute elements that are stable, common, and accessible into rare isotopes with a variety of valuable radioactive properties.” The IPF produces large quantities of certain isotopes for established applications, as well as small quantities of other, less-understood isotopes for research purposes. A key element of the DOE Isotope Program, the IPF is one of several laboratories and universities that produce critical isotopes, support the research and development of production techniques, and help reduce the nation’s dependency on foreign isotope supply. Here’s a by-the-numbers look at the IPF. 

 
People Also Ask:

• What is an isotope? The atoms of each element are defined by the number of protons in the atomic nucleus. But for some elements the number of neutrons in the nucleus can vary, giving the different versions, or isotopes, of that element, unique nuclear and physical properties.
• What is alchemy? Alchemy is an ancient field of philosophy and chemistry concerned with producing, purifying, and perfecting certain materials. A primary goal was the transmutation of different base metals into gold.