Perma-Fix Receives Patent for Tc-99m Technology

Perma-Fix Environmental Services announced yesterday that the company had received a patent from the U.S. Patent Office for its Technetium-99 production technology in mid-August. The Patent Office issued an allowance that granted Perma-Fix all the claims it made in its application for preparation of its Microporous Composite Material and its derivatives. “Issuance of this patent is a major milestone for the company,” Perma-Fix Chairman and CEO Lou Centofanti said in a statement. “The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted us protection for our intellectual property to produce Tc-99m. With this patent in hand, we look forward to advancing our cost-effective, non-uranium process, which we believe will reshape the global supply chain of Tc-99m.” According to a company release,  the patent includes the processes used to manufacture the resins, including: Selective separation of Tc-99m pertechnetate from Mo-99; enhanced sorption of Mo with a holding capacity in excess of 60% of the dry weight of the sorbent; sorbent and generator resistant to degradation by gamma and beta radiation and acid environments; sorption of selective isotopes from radioactive waste streams; and removal of heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic, from waste water streams.