A novel method for radiochemical separation of radioyttrium from Sr targets using precipitation technique

A method is described for separating radioyttrium from strontium within 30-40 min. The yield of radioyttrium amounts to 97% and the strontium impurity occurs at 8.2 ppm level. Radioyttrium (containing Y-86, Y-87 and Y-88) was produced by proton-induced nuclear reactions on (SrCO3)-Sr-nat deposited on Cu backing. Irradiated target material was removed with acetone and 8 M HCl solution from copper substrate, followed by ethyl cellulose (EC) litter removal. Optimal radioyttrium separations from Cu and Zn-65 activities were obtained by loading the mixture on Dowex-1 x 8 anion exchange resin and eluting with 8 M HCl, followed by precipitation of Sr-nat as SrSO4 while radioyttrium passed through the filter paper.