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To date, the world has accumulated a large amount of long-lived radioactive materials that need to be disposed of or reprocessed. Such materials include nuclear legacy objects containing 226Ra, which is an important material for obtaining a wide range of isotopes for nuclear medicine via irradiation in reactors, cyclotrons, and electron accelerators. For the selective recovery of 226Ra from waste materials, crown-ether (CE) 18-crown-6 (18C6) or its derivatives can be used, which, however, have not been widely studied for these purposes. In our work, the key property of 18C6 and its derivatives, the phase distribution, was studied using tritium labeling. The possibility of introducing a tritium label into CEs molecules using thermal activation of tritium has been demonstrated; a high specific activity of the obtained compounds was achieved (from 18 to 108 TBq/mol). Methods for chromatographic purification of the studied CEs were developed. The distribution of 18C6 and its derivatives between various organic solvents and water was studied in detail for the first time. Subsequently, the obtained data will allow us to choose conditions for the selective recovery of 226Ra from aged sources.

In our work, the photonuclear production of 198,199Au isotopes for nuclear medicine purposes was studied, and a method for their recovery from irradiated mercury was developed. The yields of the corresponding nuclear reactions were determined, and a comparison of various methods of obtaining gold radioisotopes was provided. New sorbents based on benzo-15-crown-5, which selectively binds gold, were studied, and the optimal conditions for Au recovery with a high degree of purification from mercury were found. It was established that, for the fast and quantitative recovery of Au isotopes, it was necessary to add at least 0.1 mg of the carrier. As a result, the developed method can be regularly used to obtain 198,199Au for the research of radiopharmaceuticals based on them.

A new method of production of one of the most widely used isotopes in nuclear medicine, 177Lu, with high chemical purity was developed; this method includes irradiation of the HfO2 target with bremsstrahlung photons. The irradiated target was dissolved in HF and then diluted and placed onto a column filled with LN resin. Quantitative sorption of 177Lu could be observed during this process. The column later was rinsed with the mixture of 0.1 M HF and 1 M HNO3 and then 2 M HNO3 to remove impurities. Quantitative desorption of 177Lu was achieved by using 6 M HNO3. The developed method of 177Lu production ensures high purification of this isotope from macroquantities of hafnium and zirconium and radioactive impurities of carrier-free yttrium. The content of 177mLu in 177Lu in photonuclear production was determined. Due to high chemical and radionuclide purity, 177Lu obtained by the developed method can be used in nuclear medicine.

Nowadays, cobalt isotopes 55Co, 57Co, and 58mCo are considered to be promising radionuclides in nuclear medicine, with 55Co receiving the most attention as an isotope for diagnostics by positron emission tomography. One of the current research directions is dedicated to its production using electron accelerators (via photonuclear method). In our work, the yields of nuclear reactions occurring during the irradiation of natNi and 60Ni by bremsstrahlung photons with energy up to 55 MeV were determined. A method of fast and simple cobalt isotopes separation from irradiated targets using extraction chromatography was developed.

In present work, carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) are investigated as potential carriers of 68Ga, which is widely used in positron emission tomography (PET) in nuclear medicine. Sorption behavior of 68Ga was studied onto CNMs of various structures and chemical compositions: nanodiamonds (ND), reduced graphite oxide (rGiO) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), as well as their oxidized (ND–COOH) or reduced (rGiO–H, MWCNT–H) forms. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were determined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and potentiometric titration. The content of 68Ga in the solutions during the study of sorption was determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. The highest degree of 68Ga sorption was observed on ND and ND–COOH samples, and the optimal sorption conditions were determined: an aqueous solution with a pH of 5–7, m/V ratio of 50 μg/mL and a room temperature (25 °C). The 68Ga@ND and 68Ga@ND–COOH conjugates were found to be stable in a model blood solution—phosphate-buffered saline with a pH of 7.3, containing 40 g/L of bovine serum albumin: 68Ga desorption from these samples in 90 minutes was no more than 20% at 25 °C and up to 30% at 37 °C. Such a quantity of desorbed 68Ga does not harm the body and does not interfere with the PET imaging process. Thus, ND and ND–COOH are promising CNMs for using as carriers of 68Ga for PET diagnostics.

To date, the world has accumulated a large amount of long-lived radioactive materials that need to be disposed of or reprocessed. Such materials include nuclear legacy objects containing 226Ra, which is an important material for obtaining a wide range of isotopes for nuclear medicine via irradiation in reactors, cyclotrons, and electron accelerators. For the selective recovery of 226Ra from waste materials, crown-ether (CE) 18-crown-6 (18C6) or its derivatives can be used, which, however, have not been widely studied for these purposes. In our work, the key property of 18C6 and its derivatives, the phase distribution, was studied using tritium labeling. The possibility of introducing a tritium label into CEs molecules using thermal activation of tritium has been demonstrated; a high specific activity of the obtained compounds was achieved (from 18 to 108 TBq/mol). Methods for chromatographic purification of the studied CEs were developed. The distribution of 18C6 and its derivatives between various organic solvents and water was studied in detail for the first time. Subsequently, the obtained data will allow us to choose conditions for the selective recovery of 226Ra from aged sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our work, the photonuclear production of 198,199Au isotopes for nuclear medicine purposes was studied, and a method for their recovery from irradiated mercury was developed. The yields of the corresponding nuclear reactions were determined, and a comparison of various methods of obtaining gold radioisotopes was provided. New sorbents based on benzo-15-crown-5, which selectively binds gold, were studied, and the optimal conditions for Au recovery with a high degree of purification from mercury were found. It was established that, for the fast and quantitative recovery of Au isotopes, it was necessary to add at least 0.1 mg of the carrier. As a result, the developed method can be regularly used to obtain 198,199Au for the research of radiopharmaceuticals based on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method of production of one of the most widely used isotopes in nuclear medicine, 177Lu, with high chemical purity was developed; this method includes irradiation of the HfO2 target with bremsstrahlung photons. The irradiated target was dissolved in HF and then diluted and placed onto a column filled with LN resin. Quantitative sorption of 177Lu could be observed during this process. The column later was rinsed with the mixture of 0.1 M HF and 1 M HNO3 and then 2 M HNO3 to remove impurities. Quantitative desorption of 177Lu was achieved by using 6 M HNO3. The developed method of 177Lu production ensures high purification of this isotope from macroquantities of hafnium and zirconium and radioactive impurities of carrier-free yttrium. The content of 177mLu in 177Lu in photonuclear production was determined. Due to high chemical and radionuclide purity, 177Lu obtained by the developed method can be used in nuclear medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, short-lived medical isotopes and/or their generators are produced in nuclear reactors and cyclotrons. During the last decade, the rapidly increasing number of the studies on the photonuclear method of production of these isotopes has been observed. Experimental data on the production of ten radiometals (99Mo/99mTc, 47Sc, 67Cu, 225Ac, 177Lu, 44Ti/44Sc, 111In, 105Rh, 68Ge/68Ga, 188Re) in electron accelerators is presented in this review. The advantages of the photonuclear method for several isotopes were demonstrated, its future was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sorption behavior of 89Zr on hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)5(OH)2, HA) nanoparticles in an aqueous medium and 0.9% NaCl at various pH values was studied. The fast kinetics of the process was determined; the stability of the obtained conjugate in a model biological medium at 25 and 37 °C was shown. The possibility of further use of the 89Zr@HA conjugate in various radiopharmaceuticals is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of group-4 homologs Zr and Hf on extraction-chromatographic sorbents LN resin and TRU resin in mixtures of HF and HNO3 is considered. Distribution coefficients of the elements in the mixtures of 5·10−4 M–1 M HF and 0.01 M–5 M HNO3 are determined. Strong retention of both elements was found on LN resin in the range of concentrations c(HF) ≤ 0.01 M for all concentrations of HNO3. Retention tends to gradually disappear while increasing c(HF) to 0.5 M. On TRU resin retention is observed only in solutions with c(HNO3) ≥ 2 M and c(HF) ≤ 0.01 M. The possibility of separating Zr(IV) and Hf(IV) on LN resin is illustrated in two different acid mixtures, whereas their separation on TRU resin under the conditions studied in this work is difficult. The results obtained can be used to isolate analytes from multicomponent mixtures during analytical tasks, as well as to separate them from each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elemental and phase composition of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticle surface with absorbed zirconium were studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Zr4+ adsorption on HA nanocrystals as a function of hydrochloric solution pH was established. The mechanism of interaction of zirconium with the HA surface was discussed. The obtained results are fundamental for 89Zr-based radiopharmaceuticals with a new design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of medical radionuclide 67Cu by the irradiation of Zn of natural isotopic composition by bremsstrahlung photons of maximum energy of 55 MeV was studied. Production yields of 67Cu and other activation products were determined. The yield of 67Cu is (2.34 ± 0.07) × 105 Bq/(μA h g/cm2) at EOB. The experimental data were compared with the results of other experiments and theoretical calculations based on the statistical model in the TALYS software and on the combined model of photonuclear reactions. Technique of chemical separation of 67Cu from irradiated zinc target based on extraction chromatography using CU Resin was applied. Radiochemical yield was > 95%, separation time was 1 h. The possibility of production of medical quantities was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of production a medical radionuclide 177Lu by irradiating natHfO2 by bremsstrahlung photons up to 55 MeV was investigated. The yields of the main nuclear reactions were measured. A procedure for one-step separation of carrier free 177Lu via extraction chromatography on the LN resin sorbent (Triskem) was developed. The radiochemical yield was 98%, separation factor was higher than 105. Isomeric ratio 177mLu/177Lu was estimated. Simulation of 177Lu production in photonuclear reactions on 178Hf, 179Hf and natHf nuclei was performed. The possibility of production of medical quantities was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for obtaining 156, 155, 154m2, 154, 153Tb radiotracers by the irradiation of a europium oxide target of natural isotopic composition by 27 MeV α-particles is proposed. Terbium can be efficiently separated from bulk of europium by the reduction of the latter by zinc in an acidic solution and precipitation as EuSO4. The optimum Zn/Eu3+ and (NH4)2SO4/Eu3+ molar ratios are 20 and 3, respectively. Terbium is additionally purified from europium and gadolinium by extraction chromatography using LN Resin. It is demonstrated that optimum separation is attained in 0.6 M HNO3. The Tb/Eu separation coefficient was ~5 · 105. The yield of terbium was about 90 %. Time of all steps was 1.5-2 h. The proposed procedure makes it possible to obtain no carrier added terbium radiotracers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, cobalt isotopes 55Co, 57Co, and 58mCo are considered to be promising radionuclides in nuclear medicine, with 55Co receiving the most attention as an isotope for diagnostics by positron emission tomography. One of the current research directions is dedicated to its production using electron accelerators (via photonuclear method). In our work, the yields of nuclear reactions occurring during the irradiation of natNi and 60Ni by bremsstrahlung photons with energy up to 55 MeV were determined. A method of fast and simple cobalt isotopes separation from irradiated targets using extraction chromatography was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present work, carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) are investigated as potential carriers of 68Ga, which is widely used in positron emission tomography (PET) in nuclear medicine. Sorption behavior of 68Ga was studied onto CNMs of various structures and chemical compositions: nanodiamonds (ND), reduced graphite oxide (rGiO) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), as well as their oxidized (ND–COOH) or reduced (rGiO–H, MWCNT–H) forms. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were determined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and potentiometric titration. The content of 68Ga in the solutions during the study of sorption was determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. The highest degree of 68Ga sorption was observed on ND and ND–COOH samples, and the optimal sorption conditions were determined: an aqueous solution with a pH of 5–7, m/V ratio of 50 μg/mL and a room temperature (25 °C). The 68Ga@ND and 68Ga@ND–COOH conjugates were found to be stable in a model blood solution—phosphate-buffered saline with a pH of 7.3, containing 40 g/L of bovine serum albumin: 68Ga desorption from these samples in 90 minutes was no more than 20% at 25 °C and up to 30% at 37 °C. Such a quantity of desorbed 68Ga does not harm the body and does not interfere with the PET imaging process. Thus, ND and ND–COOH are promising CNMs for using as carriers of 68Ga for PET diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]