Radioactivity -2

Decay Chains and Equilibrium

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International Atomic Energy Agency Day 1 – Lecture 5
 Objective

To discuss radioactive decay chains

(parent and single decay product)
and equilibrium situations

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 Content

 Secular equilibrium

 Transient equilibrium

 Case of no equilibrium

 Radioactive decay series

 Ingrowth of decay product from a parent

radionuclide

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 Types of Radioactive Equilibrium

Secular Half-life of parent much greater

(> 100 times) than that of decay
product

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 Types of Radioactive Equilibrium

Transient Half-life of parent only greater

(only 10 times greater) than that
of decay product

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 Sample Radioactive Series Decay

90
Sr  90
Y  90
Zr

where 90Sr is the parent (half-life = 28 years)

and 90Y is the decay product (half-life = 64 hours)

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 Differential Equation for
Radioactive Series Decay

Parent and Single Decay Product

dNY
= Sr NSr - Y NY
dt
The instantaneous rate of change of Y-90 is made up
of two terms: the production rate, which is equal to
the Sr-90 decay rate; and the rate of loss, which is
the decay rate of Y-90.
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 Differential Equation for
Radioactive Series Decay

Parent and Single Decay Product

SrNSr
o

NY(t) = (e - Sr t
- e - Y
t
)
Y - Sr
Recall that Sr NoSr = AoSr which equals the
initial activity of 90Sr at time t = 0

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 General Equation for
Radioactive Series Decay

Activity of 90Sr at time t = 0

Y SrNSr
o

YNY(t) = (e-Sr t - e- Yt)

Y - Sr
Activity of 90Y at time t or AY(t)

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 Secular Equilibrium

Buildup of a Decay Product under

Secular Equilibrium Conditions

AY(t) = ASr (1 - e-Yt)

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 Secular Equilibrium

SrNSr = YNY

ASr = AY

At secular equilibrium the activities of the parent and decay

product are equal and constant with time
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 Secular Equilibrium

Decay of
226
Ra to 222Rn

ARn (t) = Ao (1 - e- Rnt )

Ra
Beginning with zero activity, the activity of
the decay product becomes equal to the
activity of the parent within 7 or so half-lives
of the decay product

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 Sample Problem 1

226
Ra (half-life 1600 years) decays to 222Rn (half-
life 3.8 days). If initially there is 100 µCi of 226Ra in
a sample and no 222Rn, calculate how much 222Rn
is produced:

a. after 7 half-lives of 222Rn

b. at equilibrium

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 Solution to Sample Problem

The number of atoms of 222Rn at time t is given by:

dNRn
= Ra NRa - Rn NRn
dt
Solving:
RaNRa
NRn(t) = (1 - e-Rnt)
Rn
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 Solution to Sample Problem

Multiplying both sides of the equation by Rn:

ARn(t) = ARa (1 - eRn

- t
)
Let t = 7 TRn

Rnt = (0.693/TRn) x 7 TRn = 0.693 * 7 = 4.85

e-4.85 = 0.00784
ARn (7 half-lives) = 100 µCi * (1 - 0.00784 )
= 100 * (0.992) = 99.2 µCi of 222Rn
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 Solution to Sample Problem

Now, at secular equilibrium:

RnNRn = RaNRa or ARn = ARa = 100 µCi

Note that the total activity in this sample is:

RnNRn + RaNRa or ARn + ARa =

100 µCi + 100 µCi = 200 µCi

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 Transient Equilibrium

D P NP
 DN D =
D - P
For the case of transient equilibrium, the general
equation for radioactive series decay reduces to
the above equation.

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 Transient Equilibrium

AP D
AD =
D - P

Expressing it in terms of
activities of parent and
decay product.
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 Transient Equilibrium

Time for Decay Product

to Reach Maximum Activity

D
ln
P
tmD =
 D - P

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 Transient Equilibrium
Example of
Transient Equilibrium
132
Te Decays to 132I
Te-132 - 78.2 hr half life
I 132 - 2.2 hr half life

Note that:
I-132 reaches a maximum activity,
after which it appears to decay with
the half-life of the parent Te-132.

the activity of the decay product

can never be higher than the initial
activity of its parent .
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 Sample Problem

The principle of transient equilibrium is illustrated by the

Molybdenum-Technetium radioisotope generator used in
nuclear medicine applications.

Given initially that the generator contains 100 mCi of 99Mo

(half-life 66 hours) and no 99mTc (half-life 6 hours) calculate
the:

a. time required for 99mTc to reach its maximum activity

b. activity of 99Mo at this time, and
c. activity of 99mTc at this time

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 Sample Problem

Note that only

86% of the 99Mo
transformations
produce 99mTc. The
remaining 14%
bypass the isomeric
state and directly
produce 99Tc

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 Solution to Sample Problem

Tc
ln
Mo
a) tmTc =
Tc - Mo
Tc = 0.693/(6 hr) = 0.12 hr-1
Mo = 0.693/(66 hr) = 0.011 hr-1

0.12
ln 0.011
tmTc = = 21.9 hrs
0.12 – 0.011
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 Solution to Sample Problem

(b) The activity of 99Mo is given by

A(t) = Ao e-t = 100 mCi e(-0.011/hr * 21.9 hr)

= 100 * (0.79) = 79 mCi

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 Solution to Sample Problem

c) The activity of 99mTc at t = 21.9 hrs is given by:

TcAMo
ATc(t) = (e-Mo t - e- Tct ) (see slide 10)
Tc - Mo

(0.12)(100 mCi)(0.86)
ATc(t) = (e-(0.011)(21.9) - e-(0.12)(21.9))
(0.12 – 0.011)

= (94.7) (0.785 - 0.071) = 67.6 mCi of 99mTc

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 Solution to Sample Problem

The maximum
activity of 99mTc is
achieved at 21.9
hours which is
nearly 1 day.

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 Types of Radioactive Equilibrium

No Equilibrium Half-life of parent less than

that of decay product

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 No Equilibrium

In this case, the half-life of the

parent is less than that of the decay
product and no equilibrium can be
established.

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 Summary
 Activity defined and units discussed
 Decay constant defined
 Half-life defined - relationship to decay
constant
 Radioactive decay equation derived
 Mean life derived - relationship to half-life
 Secular equilibrium was defined
 Transient equilibrium was defined
 Case of no equilibrium was defined
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 Where to Get More Information

 Cember, H., Johnson, T. E, Introduction to

Health Physics, 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill, New
York (2009)

 International Atomic Energy Agency,

Postgraduate Educational Course in Radiation
Protection and the Safety of Radiation Sources
(PGEC), Training Course Series 18, IAEA,
Vienna (2002)

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