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Rare Radioactive Material From Kazakhstan Sent to Los Alamos,
Could Save American Lives
Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
News Bulletin
June 24, 2004

Almaty’s Nuclear Physics Institute, part of Kazakhstan’s National Nuclear Center, delivered the first shipment of a rare radioactive isotope, Germani-68, to the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. This was the first ever shipment of the isotope from Kazakhstan to the U.S. and marked the completion of the first part of a long term cooperation project.

This shipment of Germani-68 weighed 100 mCi (milliCury), while there are plans to ship up to 300 mCi in 2005, the Nuclear Physics Institute explained on June 24.

This isotope is for medical use as an important component in modern nuclear medicine. It is used for early diagnosis in oncology, cardiology and neurology in a process known as positron emission tomography, or PET. Only a handful of world’s nuclear reactors produce Germani-68.

Germanii-68 is used as a generator for the isotope Germani-Gallii which emits positrons used to decipher tomography test results. For example, it can expose cancer when affected cells are smaller than the head of the head.

Ms. Natalya Zhdanova, Executive Director of Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Society, said “intensive work of specialists in nuclear physics, radiochemistry, accelerating techniques and customs officials has seen this part of the project to successful completion. This is the first job of its kind in the country’s history.”