Radiochemical separation of antimony and tellurium in isotope production and in radionuclide generators

Abstract

A potentially useful radionuclide generator for PET studies is based on ¹¹⁸Te/¹¹⁸Sb. A novel single-step approach using anion-exchange chromatography was developed to separate the ¹¹⁸Te parent activity from proton-irradiated targets. The average yield of radiotellurium using this method was 88%, with no detectable radioantimony contamination. A generator system employing activated carbon as a column chromatography adsorbent was studied. An ¹¹⁸Sb elution yield of 87%, with a radiotellurium breakthrough of less than 0.1%/ml, was achieved. Oxidation state studies indicate that approximately 39% of the ¹¹⁸Sb formed in the decay of ¹¹⁸Te is in the form of Sb(V). Details of these separations are presented.