Isotope Generator Kit (Barium-137 m) • SN-7995A

This Cs-137/Ba-137m Isotope Generator is used to demonstrate the properties of radioactive decay. Based on the original Union Carbide patented design, it offers exceptional performance, ease-of-use, and safe operation.

Each generator contains 10 μCi of Cs-137. The generator can produce up to 1000 small aliquots of the short-lived Ba-137m isotope with a half-life of 2.6 minutes.

Each generator is supplied with 250 mL of eluting solution (0.9% NaCl in 0.04M HCl). The parent isotope Cs-137 with a half-life of 30.1 years beta decays (94.6%) to the metastable state of Ba-137m. This further decays by gamma emission (662 keV) with a half-life of 2.6 min. to the stable Ba-137 element. During elution, the Ba-137m is selectively “milked” from the generator, leaving behind the Cs-137 parent. Regeneration of the Ba-137m occurs as the Cs-137 continues to decay, re-establishing equilibrium in less than 1 hour.

Approximately 30 minutes after elution, the residual activity of the Ba-137m sample has decayed to less than one thousandth of its initial activity, making it safe for disposal. When used with the eluting solution supplied, bleed-through of the parent Cs-137 is less than 50 Bq/mL, affording a long working life. Each kit is supplied with the generator, syringe, tube, 250 mL of solution, and a storage case.