Production of Oxygen-18 result of national resolve: AEOI chief

Arak, Feb 4, IRNA - Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday that Production of Oxygen-18 in Khandab nuclear site is the result of national resolve and confidence in youth. Addressing inauguration ceremony of Oxygen-18 project in Khandab site, he added that designs of the product were carried out by domestic experts and after four years of round-the-clock efforts, Oxygen-18 was produced with a purity of 97%. “The Oxygen-18 needed by the country has so far been imported from abroad, for each kilogram of which, 30,000 dollars exited from the country,” he said. Technology to produce Oxygen-18 is owned only by five countries and now Iran joined the producers with honor, he said, adding that two of the five countries are producing the item with limited capacity but Khandab site produces over 60 kilograms annually. “A total of 12 towers are operating in the distillation unit of Khandab nuclear center of which eight are producing Oxygen-18 and the rest heavy water,” he said. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish