Ion exchange materials for the separation of 90Y from 90SR
View Patent ↗Inorganic ion exchange materials for the separation of 90 Y from 90 Sr include clinoptilolite, potassium titanosilicate pharmacosiderite, sodium titanosilicate and sodium nonatitanate. These materials are suitable for making a 90 Y generator that contains 90 Sr immobilized on an ion exchange column of the materials. The materials have a very high selectivity for 90 Sr, a very low selectivity for 90 Y, good radiation and thermal stability, low toxicity, fast reaction kinetics, and can be readily and reproducibly synthesized. A method is thus provided for eluting 90 Y from the ion exchange material with an aqueous solution to obtain a carrier-free solution of 90 Y.
1. A process, comprising:
(a) preparing a solution containing strontium-90
(b) adsorbing strontium-90 from the solution onto an inorganic ion exchange material; and
(c) eluting yttrium-90 from the inorganic ion exchange material with an aqueous solution.
2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
(d) washing the inorganic ion exchange material to remove poorly bound strontium-90 prior to eluting.
3. The process of claim 2 , further comprising:
(e) allowing yttrium-90 to grow into the inorganic ion exchange material.
4. The process of claim 3 , further comprising repeating steps (c) and (e).
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic ion exchange material is selected from clinoptilolite, chabazite, potassium titanosilicate pharmacosiderite, sodium titanosilicate, sodium nonatitanate, and combinations thereof.
6. A process for preparing a carrier-free solution of yttrium-90, comprising:
(a) preparing a solution containing strontium-90;
(b) adsorbing strontium-90 from the solution onto an inorganic ion exchange material;
(c) washing the inorganic ion exchange material to remove poorly adsorbed strontium-90;
(d) allowing yttrium-90 to grow into the inorganic ion exchange material; and
(e) eluting yttrium-90 from the inorganic ion exchange material with an aqueous solution.
7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the inorganic ion exchange material is selected from clinoptilolite, chabazite, potassium titanosilicate pharmacosiderite, sodium titanosilicate, sodium nonatitanate, and combinations thereof.
8. The process of claim 7 , further comprising repeating steps (d) and (e) to obtain another carrier-free solution of yttrium-90.
9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic ion exchange material has a high affinity for strontium.
10. The process of claim 6 , wherein the inorganic ion exchange material has a high affinity for strontium.
11. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
(d) allowing yttrium-90 to grow into the inorganic ion exchange material.
12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the inorganic ion exchange material is sodium nonatitanate prepared by reacting titanium isopropoxide and aqueous sodium hydroxide at a temperature between 100° C. and 250° C. for a period between 12 hours and 2 weeks.
13. The process of claim 11 , wherein the inorganic ion exchange material is sodium titanosilicate prepared by hydrothermally heating a titanium silicate gel in NaOH.
14. The process of claim 13 , wherein the titanium silicate gel is hydrothermally heated in 6M NaOH at 170° C. for 2 days.
15. The process of claim 11 , wherein the inorganic ion exchange material is a titanosilicate having the general formula:
M 3 H(AO) 4 (BO 4 ) 3 .xH 2 O
where: M is a cation selected from H, K, Na, Rb, Cs and mixtures thereof;
A is selected from Ti and Ge; and
B is selected from Si and Ge; and
x is a value between 4 and 6.
16. The process of claim 11 , wherein the inorganic ion exchange material is formed into pellets.
17. The process of claim 16 , wherein the pellets have a diameter between 0.1 and 1.0 mm.
18. The process of claim 16 , wherein the pellets have a diameter between 0.2 and 0.5 mm.
19. The process of claim 16 , wherein the pellets comprise a polymeric binder.
20. The process of claim 16 , wherein the pellets comprise polyacrylonitrile as a binder.
21. The process of claim 16 , wherein the pellets comprise an inorganic binder.
22. The process generator of claim 20 , wherein the inorganic binder is amorphous.
23. The process of claim 21 , wherein the inorganic binder is selected from amorphous titanium dioxide, amorphous silica, and amorphous zirconium oxide.
24. The process of claim 11 , where the solution is neutral.
25. The process of claim 11 , wherein the solution has a pH greater than about 5.