Skyhaven Systems received a grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to develop a process that produces 18-labeled oxygen. The NIH desires to have more economical methods to produce 18-labeled oxygen for use in energy expenditures studies and body composition studies. Traditionally, the oxygen isotope is produced through cryogenic distillation of nitric oxide culminating in an energy intensive and large process. An alternative process under development at Skyhaven Systems generates 18-labeled oxygen via a lower cost method that requires significantly less energy and fewer operational units.

During this program, a production system will be developed and demonstrated for producing 18-labeled oxygen on-site and on-demand in a compact benchtop unit. This 18-labeled oxygen isotope can subsequently be stored on-site or used directly in energy expenditure studies.