Separation of 89Zr from irradiated yttrium targets by extraction chromatography

Abstract

In this work, the separation of 89Zr, a radionuclide promising for positron-emission tomography, from an irradiated yttrium target using different extraction-chromatographic resins (TEVA, UTEVA, TRU, and LN resins ©Triskem) was studied. Distribution coefficients of Zr(IV) onto TEVA, LN (in HCl solutions), and onto TRU (in HCl and HNO3) were determined. The optimum conditions for the separation of Zr(IV) and Y(III) using these resins were proposed. In each case, the maximum separation factor was higher than 105. The developed separation procedures allow to obtain 89Zr of high radiochemical purity for dilute mineral acids.