BLIP target cooling water may contain radioactive isotopes which originated from different processes. Among those are proton activation of water (Be-7), recoil form target bodies (V-48) or undesired target leaks (Sr-82). A novel method utilizing solid supports was developed to capture Sr-82, V-48, and Be-7 from 360 gallons of BLIP target cooling water. The approach simultaneously evaluated uptake of metals and radioactive nuclides on solid supports with different functional groups on the surface, and allowed the determination of the best functional group for optimal uptake. Initial studies were focused on evaluation of different functionalities for capturing Be-7. The results showed that sulfonic acid functionalized solid supports exhibited the highest uptake of Be-7(2.1 mCi of Be-7/solid support). Further the first scale up experiments were conducted where 33 solid supports was used capturing 66 mCi of Be-7.The second scale up experiments conducted in 2016 utilized 139 solid supports and captured 725 mCi of Be-7, along with 733 mCi of Sr-85 and 1036 mCi of Sr-82 which were also present in the cooling water. Acidic conditions were used to release the isotopes from the solid supports and a portion of the solution was used in subsequent ion exchange and/or extraction chromatography to purify Be-7 from Sr-82 to achieve 99% radiochemical purity of both isotopes.<br/>Solid supports were functionalized with the following moieties: Zirconium phosphate, pyridine amine pyridine, quaternary amine, pyridine amide, pyridine acid, pyridine amine acid, pyridine amine, dithioxamide-formaldehyde polymer, thiourea-formaldehyde polymer, Benzo-18-crown-6, 18 crown-6, and benzo-15-crown-5. They were screened in a similar fashion for the retention of V-48. Solid supports with a chelating moiety with two pyridine groups and an amine was found to have the highest V-48 uptake. Purification with subsequent ion exchange chromatography resulted in a 74% recovery of V-48 with 98.9% radiopurity.

Evaluation of solid supports for isotope harvesting at Brookhaven Linac isotope producer (BLIP)

255th National Meeting (2018)

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