Paper Title
Industrial Radiotracer Preparation in Malaysia: A Preliminary Study

Abstract
Plant Assessment Technology group (PAT) provides sealed and unsealed source (radiotracer) services to petrochemical companies as well as power plant. The services involve determination of flow rates, leakages, plant anomalies as well as residence time distribution (RTD). Nevertheless, the preparation of para-dibromobenzene or bromodecane in organic form and ammonium bromide in aqueous form require stringent radiation safety. This is due to the fact that bromine-82 (radioisotope) is emitting high energy of gamma ray with a range within 0.25 to 1.3MeV. Its half-life is 36 hours or 1.5 days and is liquid form in room temperature. Recently, the petrochemical companies requested NM to provide 500mCi gamma emitter radiotracer in a form of potassium bromide for aqueous applications and bromodecane for organic phase. The TRIGA MARK II �Pool typed Reactor is generating 1MW thermal at steady state and producing about 1.0 x 1013 n/cm2/s neutron flux at central thimble. The simulated calculations show that about 800mCi initial activities should be produced at the reactor and taking into consideration a 24-hours cooling in order to obtain 500mCi radiotracer. Moreover, for ammonium bromide as aqueous phase, the irradiation time is 4.5 hours whereas for organic phase like dibromobenzene, the irradiation is a bit higher which is 6 hours and is the allowable time for irradiation in order to reach 800mCi. Nevertheless, bromodecane, another chemical for Br-82 gamma emitter source requires higher irradiation time which is more than 10-hours in order to reach 500mCi and it is not permissible in NM. Thus, the activities can only be limited to 6 hours irradiation time and produces about 452mCi. After cooling time, the source has decayed to 356mCi. Keywords� Radiotracer, Bromine-82, TRIGA MARK II �Pool typed Reactor, Simulation.