188Mo

188Mo is a radioactive isotope of molybdenum. It is a fission product, meaning it is created when heavy atomic nuclei, such as uranium, undergo nuclear fission. 188Mo decays primarily through beta decay, with a half-life of approximately 52 hours, into 188Re. This decay process is important in nuclear reactor fuel cycles and in radioisotope thermoelectric generators.

The significance of 188Mo lies mainly in its role as a precursor to other medically useful radioisotopes. Specifically, 188Mo is the parent isotope for 188Re (rhenium-188). 188Re is a gamma-emitting isotope that is used in targeted radionuclide therapy for cancer treatment. Due to its relatively short half-life of about 17 hours and its energetic beta emissions, 188Re can deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to cancerous cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Medical facilities often produce 188Re from a 188Mo-188Re radionuclide generator. This generator is a column containing 188Mo adsorbed onto an alumina column. As the 188Mo decays, it produces 188Re, which can then be "milked" from the column for use in radiopharmaceuticals. The parent 188Mo is retained on the column due to its stronger binding characteristics. This system allows for the on-demand availability of 188Re for therapeutic applications.