Separation of no-carrier-added 93,94,94m,95,96Tc from 7Li induced natural Zr target by liquid-liquid extraction

Charged particle activation was carried out on natZr foil by 42.5 MeV 7Li beam to produce 93,94,94m,95,96Tc radionuclides. No-carrier-added (nca) technetium radionuclides were separated from co-produced 90,96Nb and bulk Zr employing liquid-liquid extraction with the help of anion exchanger trioctylamine (TOA) diluted in cyclohexane and HCl. Bulk Zr was monitored by spiking 88,89Zr produced by 20 MeV proton induced reaction on natY target. The optimum separation was achieved at 0.1 M TOA and 0.01 M HCl. Technetium radionuclides were recovered from the TOA phase by stripping with 0.1 M DTPA (diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid) dissolved in NaOH.