China achieves Yttrium-90 production using commercial reactor

In a major breakthrough, China has successfully produced Yttrium-90 (Y-90) using a commercial nuclear reactor, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced on Sunday.

The Y-90 glass microspheres, produced through irradiation at the Qinshan Nuclear Power Base in east China's Zhejiang Province, have passed relevant tests, indicating that the country now has the technology to produce Y-90 in commercial reactors and paving the way for mass production.

Y-90, a beta-emitting radioisotope, is widely used in medical treatments, particularly for liver tumors. Through a vascular intervention technique, the microspheres carrying Y-90 can be delivered to the hepatic artery to precisely treat liver tumors.

In the next step, researchers will disassemble and analyze the Y-90 before moving it to the application phase.

The successful production indicates the Qinshan Nuclear Power Base's achievement in filling the gap in China's commercial reactor-based production of Y-90.

Meanwhile, the commercial heavy-water reactor at the base offers unique advantages for producing Y-90.

Li Shisheng, deputy chief engineer at the Qinshan Nuclear Power Base, told China Media Group that with a higher neutron flux, the continuous and stable operation of the commercial heavy-water reactor offers significant benefits in terms of efficiency, scalability and reliable supply, making it an ideal choice for Y-90 production.