A New Simplified System for the Evaluation of BNCT Pharmaceuticals

Abstract

A system for testing potential BNCT pharmaceuticals in cell cultures has been developed with the cooperation of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the University of Tennessee Chemistry Department and the University of Tennessee Nuclear Engineering Department. A BNCT test model has been established with the use of the human lung cancer cell line A 549. These cells were maintained in standard laboratory facilities and subjected to boronated chemicals. Following toxicity studies the human lung cancer cells were exposed to ²⁵²Cf neutron sources provided by the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC) at ORNL. The isotope ²⁵²Cf performs effectively for BNCT applications. The neutron spectrum is similar to that of a reactor fission source with an average energy of 2.1 MeV. A 50mg source of ²⁵²Cf moderated by water provides a source on the order of 1 × 10⁹ thermal neutrons/cm²/sec at a distance of 3 cm. The half-life of ²⁵²Cf is 2.65 years, and thus may provide a simple and reliable source of neutrons for BNCT in locations without suitable nuclear reactors. The REDC of ORNL stores and processes the U.S. stockpile of ²⁵²Cf.