Ensuring a steady supply of strontium-89

As the global supply of strontium-89 (Sr-89) is decreasing, the U.S. Department of Energy Isotope Program (DOE IP) is stepping up to help fill market demand. Historically, Sr-89 has been used to alleviate pain for patients suffering metastatic bone cancer. The radioisotope’s natural tendency to localize and accumulate in the bone where it can release cancer-fighting beta emissions led to its FDA-approval as a radiopharmaceutical in the 1990s, enhancing patient quality of life.

Today, the DOE IP contributes to a steady supply of Sr-89 by offering batch production upon request. Furthermore, irradiation and chemical processing capabilities are in place within the DOE IP network for routine production of curie-level batches. If there is sufficient interest in smaller research quantities, we can coordinate batch orders to distribute among the interested parties.

Strontium-89 is a beta emitter with a half-life of 50.6 days. It is produced via neutron capture on an enriched strontium-88 target using the DOE's High Flux Isotope Reactor, located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to achieve the required specific activity. The product has a radionuclidic purity of >99.8% and is sold as strontium chloride solution in 0.1 N HCI.

For further inquiries about Sr-89 please contact the NIDC at contact@isotopes.gov or click here.