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Title: Separation of carrier-free holmium-166 from neutron-irradiated dysprosium targets

Journal Article · · Analytical Chemistry (Washington); (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac00095a024· OSTI ID:7079364
; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. ANSTO, Menai, New South Wales (Australia)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

Holmium-166 ([sup 166]Ho, t[sub 1/2] = 26.4 h) is utilized in radiotherapeutic applications such as radioimmunospecific pharmaceuticals, bone marrow ablation, and radiation synovectomy. High specific activity [sup 166]Ho can be obtained from the decay of dysprosium-166 ([sup 166]Dy, t[sub 1/2] = 81.5 h). Dysprosium-166 is produced by the [sup 164]Dy[n,[gamma]][sup 165]Dy[n,[gamma]][sup 166]Dy reaction in a nuclear reactor. The applicability of reversed phase ion-exchange chromatographic methods was demonstrated for the separation of carrier-free [sup 166]Ho from milligram quantities of [sup 164]Dy[sub 2]O[sub 3] irradiated targets. An efficient and quantitative separation was achieved utilizing a metal-free HPLC system with Dowex AG 50WX12 or Aminex-A5 cation exchangers and [alpha]-hydroxy-isobutyric acid ([alpha]-HIBA) as the eluent (0.085 M, pH = 4.3 adjusted with NH[sub 4]OH). The Aminex-A5 column gave a separation factor of approximately 10[sup 3] between Ho and Dy. Subsequent to the acidic destruction of the Ho-HIBA complex, Ho[sup 3+] was further purified on a small cation-exchange column from acidic chloride solutions. The separation was achieved within 2 h, with a 95% overall radiochemical yield for carrier-free [sup 166]Ho with a Dy breakthrough of < 0.1%. 32 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
7079364
Journal Information:
Analytical Chemistry (Washington); (United States), Vol. 66:23; ISSN 0003-2700
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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