Rapid isolation of cyclotron-produced gallium-68
View Patent ↗Methods for rapid isolation of radionuclides (e.g., 68 Ga) produced using a cyclotron and methods for recycling of the parent isotope (e.g., 68 Zn) are disclosed. In one version of the method, a solution including a radionuclide (e.g., 68 Ga) is created from a target including cations (e.g., 68 Zn). The solution including the radionuclide is passed through a first column including a sorbent comprising a hydroxamate resin to adsorb the radionuclide on the sorbent, and the radionuclide is eluted off the sorbent. The cations (e.g., 68 Zn) are recovered from a recovery solution that has passed through the first column by passing the recovery solution through a second column including a second sorbent comprising a cation exchange resin.
1. A method for producing a solution including a radionuclide, the method comprising:
(a) bombarding a target solution with protons to produce a solution including a radionuclide, wherein the radionuclide is 68 Ga;
(b) passing the solution including the radionuclide through a column including a sorbent to adsorb the radionuclide on the sorbent; and
(c) eluting the radionuclide off the sorbent,
wherein the sorbent comprises a hydroxamate resin, and
wherein pH of the solution including the radionuclide before passing the solution including the radionuclide through the column is between 5 and 7.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target solution comprises 68 Zn-enriched zinc nitrate.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises eluting the radionuclide off the sorbent using hydrochloric acid.
4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein step (c) comprises eluting the radionuclide off the sorbent with an amount of eluent of 5 milliliters or less, and
wherein the method takes 30 minutes or less.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises adjusting pH of the solution including the radionuclide before passing the solution including the radionuclide through the column.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the adjusting of the pH comprises a dilution with water.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the adjusting of the pH comprises an addition of a base, and wherein the base forms a soluble product with 68 Ga and 68 Zn.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein yield of the radionuclide from the solution including the radionuclide is greater than 80% by radioactivity.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydroxamate resin comprises hydroxamate groups bonded to a backbone comprising a material selected from the group consisting of silica, polymer coated silica, polyacrylate, and polystyrene, and wherein the hydroxamate resin has a particle size in a range of 10 to 100 microns.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydroxamate resin comprises hydroxamate groups bonded to a backbone comprising an acrylic acid/acrylamide coated silica having a diol bonded phase.
11. A method for producing a solution including a radionuclide, the method comprising:
(a) bombarding a solid target with protons to produce a solid radionuclide,
wherein the radionuclide is 68 Ga;
(b) creating a solution including the radionuclide from the solid radionuclide;
(c) passing the solution including the radionuclide through a column including a sorbent to adsorb the radionuclide on the sorbent; and
(d) eluting the radionuclide off the sorbent,
wherein the sorbent comprises a hydroxamate resin, and
wherein pH of the solution including the radionuclide before passing the solution including the radionuclide through the column is between 5 and 7.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the solution comprises 68 Zn-enriched zinc nitrate.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein step (c) comprises eluting the radionuclide off the sorbent using hydrochloric acid.
14. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein step (c) comprises eluting the radionuclide off the sorbent with an amount of eluent of 5 milliliters or less, and
wherein the method takes 30 minutes or less.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein step (b) comprises adjusting pH of the solution including the radionuclide before passing the solution including the radionuclide through the column.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the adjusting of the pH comprises a dilution.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the adjusting of the pH comprises an addition of a base, and wherein the base forms a soluble product with 68 Ga and 68 Zn.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein yield of the radionuclide from the solution including the radionuclide is greater than 80%.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydroxamate resin comprises hydroxamate groups bonded to a backbone comprising a material selected from the group consisting of silica, polymer coated silica, polyacrylate, and polystyrene, and wherein the hydroxamate resin has a particle size in a range of 10 to 100 microns.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydroxamate resin comprises hydroxamate groups bonded to a backbone comprising an acrylic acid/acrylamide coated silica having a diol bonded phase.