The Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT) produced and supplied a variety of radioisotope products including radiochemicals, labelled compounds of carbon-14 tritium and sulphur-35 and nucleotides labelled with phosphorus-32/ phosphorous-33, radiopharmaceuticals and RIA kits, radiation sources, gamma radiography equipment and gamma irradiator systems to users in the country and abroad. BRIT operates the radiation sterilization plant, ISOMED, and Radiation Processing Plant for Spices (SPICE Plant) at Mumbai., Regional Centres for Radiopharmaceuticals located at Bangalore, Delhi and Calcutta, RIA centre at Dibrugarh, laboratory for preparation of labelled nucleotides, (JONAKI), at Hyderabad, and Cobalt-60 handling facility at RAPS site, Kota (RAPPCOF).
Highlights of performance in the year 2000 are:
Radiochemicals
About 65.50 TBq (1770 curies) of a variety of reactor produced radioisotopes were processed in over 164 batches for supply to various users and for formulation of a variety of radiopharmaceuticals; these include molybdenum-99, phosphorus-32, sulphur-35, iodine-131, chromium-51, mercury-203 etc. About 40 kg labelled agrochemicals of phosphorus-32, calcium-45, and sulphur-35 were supplied for use in agricultural research. 10 consignments of promethium-147 self-luminous compound and nearly 1000 tritium gas filled light sources were supplied for illumination of instrument dials and other devices used by defence installations.
Radiation Sources
A total of 2198.35 TBq (59,415 curies) of radiation sources of low, medium and high intensity were fabricated and supplied for use in industry, medicine, agriculture and research. These include radiation sources of isotopes such as cobalt-60, iridium-192, and caesium-137. Over 700 consignments of iridium-192, totaling about 915 TBq (24,740 curies) were supplied in the form of sealed sources for radiography examination of industrial components used in various industries/projects in the country.
Over 650 consignments of reference and custom made sources were supplied for use in industrial radioisotope gauges and educational institutions.
Over 120 consignments of iridium-192 in the form of 0.3 mm dia wire were supplied to radiotherapy centres for use in brachytherapy. Three large output sources of cobalt-60 activity of 884 TBq (24,000 curies) were supplied to three teletherapy centres for cancer treatment. Radioisotope products such as mercury-203, sulphur -35, iridium-192 and iodine-131 were exported to countries such as UK, Germany, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and Sri Lanka.
The refurbishment of hot cell facilities at RAPPCOF, Kota continued. The lead glass viewing window (weighing about 10 tons) of the hot cell facility, refurbished at BARC was installed at RAPPCOF Facility, Kota. The implementation of recommendations made by Expert Committee/ AERB were in the final stages of completion. The approval for re-commencement of the hot cell facility will be planned to be obtained soon.
Radiopharmaceuticals
The details of radiopharmaceuticals and cold kits supplied to various nuclear medicine centres for diagnostic and therapeutic use are detailed below:
Ready to use radiopharmaceutical products of 7000 consignments of I-131 in the form of oral solutions, capsules and injections of activity over 300 curies were supplied in 56 batches for diagnostic and therapeutic use. 780 curies of Mo-99 in 54 batches were supplied to nuclear medicine centers for diagnostic use. Nearly 10,490 kits (31,470 kit vials) in the form of cold kits required for preparation of Tc-99m formulations were supplied to various nuclear medicine centers in the country. Other radiopharmaceutical products of phosphorus-32, chromium-57, samarium-153 and accessories for Tc-99m extraction were also supplied to nuclear medicine centres.
A wide variety of radioactive raw materials, additives, reagents etc. used in the production of radiopharmaceuticals were tested for quality control, in addition to carrying out regular analysis of various batches of the radiopharmaceutical products as per mandatory requirements.
The Regional Centres at Bangalore and Delhi regularly processed ready-to-use Tc-99m radiopharmaceuticals for use in the host nuclear medicine centers, in addition to supplying the product to the needy hospitals in the region. More than 1,900 ready-to-use Tc-99m formulations were supplied to various hospitals. The Centres at Dibrugarh and Bangalore carried out more than 11,000 RIA investigations.
New Products
One hundred forty two consignments of MIBG I-131 (Meta Iodo Benzyl Guanidine) injection (IOM 50 ), introduced as a new product during 1999-2000, were supplied to various institutions all over the country with encouraging response from the users. Two new products, namely, samarium-153-EDTMP (Ethylene diamine tetra methylene phosphonate) ( SAM-2 ) and kit for the preparation of technetium-99m-EC ( Ethylene dicysteine ) ( TCK-43 ) were introduced during the current year.
New processes and process handling equipment such as mechanized hydraulic trolleys for handling radioactive packages, programmable autoclave for wet sterilizing products, constant temperature dry heating were introduced. A new user friendly package, similar to the plastic package used for transporting molybdenum-99/250 millicuries of iodine-131, was introduced with LP 20 lead pot for safe transport of 50 millicurie and 100 millicurie I-131 consignments.
The production support activities such as in-house preparation of clean/sterile glassware, injectable grade reagents like, water for injection, normal saline etc., packaging of consignments were carried out. RPL workshop provided functional engineering support for the maintenance of the lab and equipment. Also fabrication of some required tools was carried out in house.
Immunoassay and Labelled Compounds
Nearly 11,325 kits of radioimmunoassay (RIA & IRMA) kits were supplied to 650 immunoassay laboratories throughout the country.
Quality evaluation of Progesterone RIA kit for veterinary applications and clinical evaluation process made progress.
The Radiopharmaceuticals Committee (RPC) clearance for FSH IRMA (based on magnetic particle) was obtained. Production of the kit for regular supply is planned shortly.
The development of T4 magnetic based particle kit, ferritin IRMA, and free T4 RIA was in progress.
Nearly 200 consignments Carbon-14, Tritium
Labelled Compounds, P-32 and P-33 and S-35 compounds were supplied to research
institutions in the country. One fresh batch of Thymidine-Methyl-T preparation
was carried out using indigenous tritium raw material and 380 millicuries
of the product having specific activity of 17,200 mCi/mM was dispensed
for supply. 80 consignments of non-radioactive kits (cold kits) for use
in recombinant DNA/RNA technology were supplied. 387 oligonucleotides (DNA
Primers) of varying sequences and concentrations as per request received
from research institutions were custom synthesized and supplied. Realising
the importance of radioactive and non-radioactive kits for molecular biology
research, the following work was in progress at JONAKI, Hyderabad:
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Radiation Processing Services
ISOMED Plant
ISOMED plant continued to offer gamma sterilization of medical products maintaining an impressive growth in the services offered to its customers. The plant availability factor was maintained over 90% and the capacity utilization factor was nearly 100%. The volume of products processed in the plant is about 13,000 cu.mtrs in the current year.
ISOMED services obtained ISO 9002 accreditation in July 2000 thus enabling better acceptance of ISOMED services internationally.
ISOMED continued to sterilize DAI kits and delivery packs for the healthcare of women in the rural areas of the country.
Large consignments of ayurvedic and pharmaceutical raw materials were sterilized at ISOMED on behalf of various manufacturers for export purpose. In view of the continuously growing demand from health care sector for gamma sterilization services, action was initiated to set up an additional facility in Mumbai.
Training of manpower and other required support were provided to personnel from commercial gamma irradiators within the country and abroad.
Project reports were submitted for setting up two plants (at Bhopal and Kota) for rural health care programme. These are under consideration of the Planning Commission.
Spice Plant
The commercial operations of the Spice Plant at Vashi, Navi Mumbai started in January 2000. The Plant was loaded with 100 kilocuries of cobalt-60 ( August 1999 ). During the first year of its operation, different types of spices such as dried onion powder, chilli powder, black pepper, nutmug, turmeric, ranpatri powder were processed in the plant. The total quantity of spices processed so far in the plant is about 350 metric tones. The demand for radiation processing of spices in the plant is gradually increasing and accordingly it is proposed to increase the cobalt-60 source strength in the plant
Radiation Technology Equipment
Twenty remotely operated radiography cameras (Model ROLI-1) were supplied to industrial users for use in non-destructive testing. Servicing of 220 ROLI-1 cameras prior to source replacement and mandatory checks, as recommended by BARC, was carried out, prior to the supply of replacement radiography sources.
The prototype lightweight depleted uranium camera was under fabrication for obtaining type approval; the camera will undergo type approval tests as per the requirements of AERB.
Design/fabrication of a prototype light weight lead and depleted uranium shielded flask for shipment of cobalt-60 irradiator source is also under progress.
Ten units of Blood Irradiator (BI 2000) were fabricated as per the approved design, for supply to blood banks. Following successful evaluation of operational performance of blood irradiator units, plans are under way to locate one unit each at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai and Kidwai Memorial Inst. Of Oncology, Bangalore, for field clinical evaluation.
One Gamma Chamber 900 unit was refurbished and replenished with 1200 curies of cobalt-60 source and supplied to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.
Six Gamma Chamber units were under different stages of reburbishment.
Sales Turnover
During the financial year, more than 50,000 consignments of radioisotope products valued at Rs. 15.25 crore were supplied for use in healthcare, industry, research, and agriculture.
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