radiochemical separation relevant to the no-carrier-added production of 90nb: a potential radiopharmaceutical for pet imaging

Niobium-90 (90nb), a radioisotope of paramount importance in the field of nuclear medicine, has been effectively synthesized and separated from target materials through natzr(p,n)90nb and 90zr(p,n)90nb reactions. the attainment of high-purity niobium -90 necessitates the use of exceptionally pure zirconium-90 isotopes, prompting the establishment of a meticulously structured three-stage production process. in the initial phase, the enrichment of 90zr stable is achieved through electromagnetic isotope separation (emis). the resulting enriched zirconium oxide target material undergoes rigorous validation through x-ray diffraction (xrd) analysis, confirming isotopic and chemical purities quantified at 99.22% and 99.85%, respectively. these purities are ascertained through advanced techniques, including gamma spectrometry and particle-induced x-ray emission (pixe). the subsequent stage involves the irradiation of target materials, prepared from natzro2 and 90zro2 powders, within the cyclotron accelerator. the third and final phase, post-irradiation, encompasses an elaborate chemical purification process, employing ion-exchange method. this process refines niobium -90 from the target materials. the assessment of niobium-90 activity purity, derived from both natural and enriched sources, confirms purities of 98.69% and 100%, respectively, through meticulous examination using a high purity germanium (hpge) detector.