Heavy Water Board, a constituent unit of the Department of Atomic Energy, has established India’s first Oxygen-18 enriched water production facility with a capacity of 100 kilograms per year at its Heavy Water Plant in Manuguru, Telangana. The development marks the creation of indigenous capability for producing a critical input used in nuclear medicine and places India among a small group of global producers of Oxygen-18 enriched water.
According to a press release issued by the Department of Atomic Energy, the facility has been developed to support domestic medical requirements and to reduce reliance on imports of Oxygen-18 enriched water, which is primarily used in Positron Emission Tomography imaging. The commissioning of the plant is aligned with the department’s broader objective of strengthening self-reliance in strategic and healthcare-related materials.
The foundation and inauguration ceremony of the facility was held at the Manuguru site in the presence of senior officials from the Department of Atomic Energy and the Heavy Water Board. During the event, the first batch of Oxygen-18 enriched water produced at the facility was formally handed over for supply to end users through the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology.
The Manuguru plant has been designed to produce Oxygen-18 enriched water that meets international quality standards. The product has been certified by end users and validated by an independent testing laboratory in the United States. Following approval from the Radio Pharmaceutical Committee, the product was tested by the Radiation Medicine Centre and was found suitable for use in medical cyclotrons, after which it was accepted for medical applications.
Oxygen-18 enriched water is a key raw material used in the production of fluorine-18 radioisotopes, which are essential for PET imaging in the diagnosis and management of cancer and other diseases. Demand for the material has been increasing with the expansion of PET scan facilities in India and globally. Indigenous production is expected to improve supply security for hospitals and diagnostic centres while also opening the possibility of exports.
The Heavy Water Board stated that the new facility has the potential to cater not only to domestic demand but also to overseas requirements, subject to regulatory approvals. The plant represents a diversification of the Board’s production portfolio beyond its traditional focus areas.
Heavy Water Board is primarily engaged in the production of heavy water for pressurised heavy water reactors, supporting the first stage of the Indian nuclear power programme. As part of diversification efforts and in support of healthcare initiatives under the Department of Atomic Energy, the Board has expanded into the production of Oxygen-18 enriched water for medical and research applications.