Method for stacked elution of mother-daughter radionuclides

Abstract

A method for enhancing radionuclide activity of a daughter radionuclide-containing eluate obtained from a mixture of mother / daughter radionuclides is disclosed. This method comprises i) contacting separation particles with an aqueous solution containing a mixture of mother and daughter radionuclides wherein daughter radionuclides bind to separation particles and mother radionuclides does not. That contact is maintained ii) for a time for unbound daughter radionuclide to bind to the separation particles. Unbound mother radionuclide is iii) separated from the daughter radionuclide-bound separation particles using a washing solution. Steps i) and ii) are repeated at least once iv). The bound daughter radionuclide is stripped v) from the separation particles using a volume of stripping solution less than that used if only steps i), ii), iii) and v) were used for each of the recited at least two separations to form an aqueous eluate having enhanced daughter radionuclide activity.

Images