Perchloric acid: A promising medium for the chromatographic separation of 90Y from 90Sr

• Chromatographic separation of 90Y from 90Sr.
• Sequential use of Sr-selective column and Y-selective column.
• Perchloric acid is better medium than hydrochloric acid/nitric acid.
• Final product in 0.01 M EDTA is amenable for radiopharmaceutical application.

There is growing demand to develop efficient separation methods to produce high purity 90Y (required for radiopharmaceutical applications) from the secular equilibrium mixture of 90Sr–90Y. Studies for the chromatographic separation of 90Y from 90Sr using ditertiarybutyl dicyclohexano 18-crown-6 (Sr-selective resin) and N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyldiglycolamide (Y-selective resin) sequentially were performed in HNO3, HCl and HClO4 media. Batch studies for distribution coefficient data and column studies for chemical separation were carried out under conditions of varying acidity and varying metal ion concentration. Experiments were carried out on tracers (radioactive/stable) in a wide range of acidity (pH 2–5 M). Distribution coefficient values of Sr(II) in Sr-selective resin and of Y(III) in Y-selective resin were distinctly larger and of Sr(II) in DGA-resin were distinctly lower in perchloric acid medium as compared to those in nitric acid/hydrochloric acid media suggesting that former is distinctly a better medium for the production of high purity 90Y. The mechanism of extraction changes with the nature and concentration of acid as well as with the metal ion concentration.

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