A limited quantity of Barium-133 (Ba-133) is now available through the U.S. Department of Energy Isotope Program (DOE IP). Available in millicurie quantities, Ba-133 is used for a variety of purposes, including as an x-ray radiocontrast agent and as a gamma source in multiphase flow meters used in the oil and gas industry.
Barium-133 (half-life of 10.551 years) is produced using the DOE's High Flux Isotope Reactor located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The Ba-133 product has a radionuclidic purity of >99.9% and is sold as a nitrate solution.
Barium-133 is not routinely offered by the DOE IP but can be produced upon demand or special request in curie quantities. The production lead time for Ba-133 is longer than one year, therefore, we recommend that interested parties submit requests for future orders as soon as possible. For further inquiries about Ba-133, please contact the NIDC at contact@isotopes.gov.
