Actinium-225 (t1/2: 9.92 d) is an alpha-emitting radionuclide with nuclear properties well suited for alpha therapy of malignant tumors. The present global supply of 225Ac is 1.7 Ci per year yet the global demand is 50-100 Ci. Currently, the production of 225Ac from proton irradiation of 232Th metal targets is being investigated at BNL. One proposed method for separation of Ac-225 from bulk Th targets involves the use of Polyoxometales (POMs). POMs are large metal oxide clusters, which have been used to chelate high-valent actinides and lanthanides. The modified Wells-Dawson POM ([P2W17O61]6- ) has a very high affinity for thorium. This study seeks to take advantage of the affinity of POMs for Th to separate Ac-225 from bulk thorium for Ac-225 production. The separation is carried out by adding the POM to aqueous solutions of thorium, lanthanum and, actinium as individual metals and as mix metal solutions and contacting those solutions with 3% octylamine in chloroform. The extractions are quantified using ICP-OES. This study has shown that the POM completely extracts the Th from the aqueous solution and preferentially extracts the Th over the La and Ac

Separation of actinium from thorium using polyoxometalates

255th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.