Radiochemical separation of 82Sr and the preparation of a sterile 82Sr/82Rb generator column

Summary Ion-exchange chromatography using the chelating resins Purolite S950 and Chelex 100 was investigated for the radiochemical separation of ⁸²Sr from a RbCl target. 0.25M NH₄Cl solution was employed for the retention of Sr and elution of Rb, and 2M HCl for the elution of Sr. Although both resins showed very similar results, the conditions for adsorption of Sr were different. The ammonium chloride solution was directly used with Purolite S950 while it was necessary to adjust the pH between 9 and 10 with Chelex 100. Purolite S950 was, therefore, selected for routine production of ⁸²Sr. A procedure has been introduced for the preparation of a hydrous tin dioxide as supporting material for the ⁸²Sr/⁸²Rb generator column. All components of the generator column were made up of stainless steel. The column was 4 cm long, 9.5 mm O.D. and 7.1 mm I.D. Using isotonic saline (0.9% NaCl) for elution of ⁸²Rb, elution curves with different flow rates ranging from 5 to 20 ml/min were obtained. Maximum available ⁸²Rb was eluted in the first 20 ml. The column generator provided a sterile ⁸²Rb in isotonic saline. The breakthrough of ⁸²Sr over 4 weeks of elution using 7 liter of saline was on average 4.5 ^. 10^-5% (based on the first 20 ml eluate).     

A novel method for removing aluminum from spallation-produced82Sr

A novel method is presented for the separation of aluminum from strontium by anion exchange in the hydroxide form. When added in acidic solution, aluminum forms Al(OH) ₄ ⁻ and is retained while strontium is eluted as the neutral Sr(OH)₂. The procedure has been used to purify spallation-produced⁸²Sr for use in the⁸²Sr−⁸²Rb radionuclide generator. It has the advantage that the⁸²Sr solution, which must be at basic pH for generator construction, may be neutralized without introducing cations such as Na⁺ and NH ₄ ⁺ . The method may be used to separate any metal which forms an anionic hydroxide from those forming neutral soluble hydroxides.     

Nuclear model calculation on charge particle induced reaction on Rb and Kr targets and targetry for 82Sr production

The ⁸²Sr/⁸²Rb radionuclide generator is used very commonly in positron emission tomography. ALICE/ASH and TALYS 1.0 codes were used to calculate excitation functions for proton, alpha and ³He induced on various targets that lead to produce ⁸²Sr radioisotope using intermediate energy accelerators. Recommended thickness of the targets according to SRIM code was premeditated. The application of those data, particularly in the calculation of integral yields, is discussed and theoretical integral yields for any reaction were computed. To consider precision of TALYS 1.0 code calculations, ⁸⁵Rb(p,4n)⁸²Sr process was determined as most interesting one due to radionuclide purity. The TALYS 1.0 code predicts a maximum cross-section of about 130 mb at 47 MeV for this reaction. Rubidium chloride deposition on copper substrate was carried out via sedimentation method in order to produce ⁸²Sr. 2.98 g RbCl, 1.043 g ethyl cellulose, 10 mL acetone were used to prepare a layer of enriched rubidium chloride of 11.69 cm² area and 0.34 g/cm² thickness.     

ESI-QIMS Investigation of Sr,Rb, and Crown Ether Mixture Solutions

The isotope distribution of Sr, alternatively ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio frequently reported in geologic investigations, is obtained by direct electrospray ionization of aqueous samples containing Sr(II), Rb(I) with added 18-crown-6 (18c6) [1,4,7,10,13,16-Hexaoxacyclooctadecane C₁₂H₂₄O₆ m/z 264.3]. At relatively high concentrations of Sr and Rb, we observed favorable formation of Sr²⁺(18c6)₂ and Rb⁺(18c6) rather than Sr²⁺(18c6) complexes. Significant Sr²⁺(18c6)₂ suppression observed in post column addition of samples into water solvent disappeared when formic acid was present in the carrier solvent. Electrospray ionization-quadrupole-ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI-QITMS) successfully obtained the expected isotope distribution of Sr showing no interference from Rb without chromatographic separation of ⁸⁷Sr and ⁸⁷Rb necessary in ICP-MS studies.     

The determination and application of 87Sr/86Sr ratio in verifying geographical origin of wheat

As ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio plays a significant role in authenticating the geographical origin of foodstuff, it is important to identify where the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr signature in food comes from, and the methods of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio analysis in food and environmental samples. Wheat with three genotypes, soil and groundwater samples were collected from three regions of China during harvest time of 2014. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios in the samples were determined by thermal ionization mass spectrometer in order to investigate the possible source of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in wheat, and the concentrations of Rb and Sr in wheat and soils were also detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and combined with ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio in order to trace the geographical origin of wheat. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio, the contents Rb and Sr, and Rb/Sr ratio of wheat and soil samples showed significant differences among three regions. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and the concentrations of Rb and Sr in soils were higher than those in corresponding wheat. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio in wheat was identical to that corresponding soil NH₄NO₃ extracts (labile fraction of soil) and groundwater. Wheat uptake more Rb than Sr. 3D distribution of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, Rb and Sr could identify wheat samples from different regions clearly. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of wheat reflects the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the associated environment including soil and groundwater. It is expected that the use the parameters of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio, the contents of Rb and Sr will allow to trace geographical origin of wheat. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Extraction separation of 86Rb from 85Sr in trace level with 18-crown-6 in nitrobenzene

A liquid-liquid extraction separation procedure has been developed for the separation of trace amounts of neutron activated rubidium and strontium from their mixture in 0.1M perchloric acid medium using 0.04M 18-crown-6 in nitrobenzene as the extractant. Separation factor for Rb/Sr was found approximately 3^.10³. Gamma-radiation stability of the extractant (up to 1.5^.10⁴ Gy) as well as that of the metal-extractant complex were examined. Complete stripping of rubidium has been achieved by 8M HCl with 3–4 fold volume increase of the aqueous phase.     

Purification of 89Sr source obtained from 89Y(n,p) 89Sr by ion-exchange chromatography using tri-sodium tri-meta phosphate (SMP) as eluant

⁸⁹Sr was produced via ⁸⁹Y(n, p) ⁸⁹Sr using yttria as target in Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), Kalpakkam, India. A radiochemical procedure has been developed for the separation of bulk yttrium using TBP by solvent extraction followed by purification of ⁸⁹Sr source by ion exchange chromatography using the cation exchange resin Dowex 50WX8 (100–200 mesh) and nitric acid of variable molarity as eluant. The present study establishes the purification of ⁸⁹Sr source from the other radionuclidic impurities like ⁸⁸Y, ⁶⁵Zn, ⁵⁴Mn, ⁶⁰Co, ⁸⁶Rb, ¹⁹²Ir, ¹⁰³Ru, ¹¹³Sn, ¹³⁹Ce, ¹⁶⁰Tb, ¹⁵⁴Eu etc. produced during the irradiation of yttria by using the complexing agent tri-sodium tri-meta phosphate (SMP) in nitric acid medium instead of nitric acid alone as an eluant. The purification was achieved by using 0.1 M SMP as complexing agent which was optimized based on the distribution ratio data and final elution of Sr fraction was obtained in nitric acid medium. This resulted into a faster purification of ⁸⁹Sr source in a smaller volume of eluant. Purity of Sr source from the cross contamination of the complexing agent SMP was also ensured.     

ASc[SeO3]2 (A = Na – Cs): Pure Alkali‐Metal Scandium Oxoselenates(IV) and Their Representatives With Mixed Alkali‐Metal Occupation

Alkali‐metal scandium oxoselenates(IV) ASc[SeO₃]₂ (A = Na – Cs) are known since a few years and a hydrothermal synthesis was used to obtain them. In our new studies we applied a flux‐supported solid‐state reaction and produced colorless single crystals as well. All representatives ASc[SeO₃]₂ with A = Na – Cs crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Pnma, in contrast to earlier reports for hexagonal RbSc[SeO₃]₂. Furthermore we have extended this field with some crystals showing a mixed occupation on the alkali‐metal site, namely (K,Na)Sc[SeO₃]₂, (Rb,K)Sc[SeO₃]₂, and (Cs,Rb)Sc[SeO₃]₂. Since all of them contain [ScO₆]^9– octahedra and [SeO₃]^2– ψ¹‐tetrahedra the diverse connectivity of the distinct alkali‐metal centered oxygen polyhedra differentiates the compounds with the smaller alkali metals (A′ = Na and K) from those with the bigger ones (A′′ = Rb and Cs). For the mixed crystals the amount of smaller or bigger alkali metal is responsible, which design is chosen by the system. This forces the mixed crystal (Rb,K)Sc[SeO₃]₂ with a higher amount of potassium instead of rubidium to crystallize isotypically with KSc[SeO₃]₂ and NaSc[SeO₃]₂, whereas the pure rubidium compound RbSc[SeO₃]₂ adopts the CsSc[SeO₃]₂‐type structure. These findings are supported by single‐crystal Raman spectroscopy.     

Problems in obtaining precise and accurate Sr isotope analysis from geological materials using laser ablation MC-ICPMS

This paper reviews the problems encountered in eleven studies of Sr isotope analysis using laser ablation multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICPMS) in the period 1995–2006. This technique has been shown to have great potential, but the accuracy and precision are limited by: (1) large instrumental mass discrimination, (2) laser-induced isotopic and elemental fractionations and (3) molecular interferences. The most important isobaric interferences are Kr and Rb, whereas Ca dimer/argides and doubly charged rare earth elements (REE) are limited to sample materials which contain substantial amounts of these elements. With modern laser (193 nm) and MC-ICPMS equipment, minerals with >500 ppm Sr content can be analysed with a precision of better than 100 ppm and a spatial resolution (spot size) of approximately 100 μm. The LA MC-ICPMS analysis of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of both carbonate material and plagioclase is successful in all reported studies, although the higher ⁸⁴Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios do suggest in some cases an influence of Ca dimer and/or argides. High Rb/Sr (>0.01) materials have been successfully analysed by carefully measuring the ⁸⁵Rb/⁸⁷Rb in standard material and by applying the standard-sample bracketing method for accurate Rb corrections. However, published LA-MC-ICPMS data on clinopyroxene, apatite and sphene records differences when compared with ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr measured by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) and solution MC-ICPMS. This suggests that further studies are required to ensure that the most optimal correction methods are applied for all isobaric interferences.     

Calcium tungstate coprecipitation for removal of Sr interference with determination of Rb by ID-ICP-MS

A coprecipitation method using calcium tungstate was developed to remove ⁸⁷Sr isobaric interference with ⁸⁷Rb prior to measurement of Rb by ID-ICP-MS. Precipitation of calcium tungstate was obtained by adding Ca(NO₃)₂ solution and (NH₄)₂WO₄ solution to the sample, where (NH₄)₂WO₄ was added more than the stoichiometric proportion to precipitate Ca(NO₃)₂ completely and remove Sr effectively. Furthermore, in order to reduce matrix burden to the ICP-MS instrument, the residual (NH₄)₂WO₄ was removed by adding conc. HNO₃. Prior to the application, thorough purification of coprecipitant reagent was carried out to reduce the blank. The effectiveness of the present method was verified by analyzing two brown rice flour certified reference materials (CRMs), NIES CRM 10a and NIES CRM 10b. Finally, the present method was applied to the measurement of Rb in a white rice flour RM sample being developed by National Institute of Metrology of Japan.     

3，5-二羟基-2，4，6-三硝基苯酚铷的晶体结构和热行为

0IntroductionSom e nitrogen鄄rich alkaline and alkali鄄earth m et鄄als com pounds of polynitro hydroxybenzenes can beused environm entally friendly prim ary explosives[1￣5].2,4,6鄄Trinitro鄄1,3,5鄄trihydroxybenzene(trinitrophloroglu鄄cinol,TNPG)belongs to a polynitro hydroxybenzeneand has been used in chem icalindustry as an ingredi鄄entfor prim ing com position,percussion caps and deto鄄nator form ulations[6].Therefore,in recent years,ithasbeen exploited to prepare a num ber of salts of ba…     

High-precision direct determination of the Sr/Sr isotope ratio of bottled Sr-rich natural mineral drinking water using multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

We describe a precise and accurate method for the direct determination of the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotope ratio of bottled Sr-rich natural mineral drinking water using multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). The method is validated by the comparative analysis of the same water with and without cation-exchange resin purification. The work indicates that isobarically interfering elements can be corrected for when ⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr < 0.05 (Rb/Sr < 0.015), and that the matrix elements (Ca, Mg, K and Na) have no significant effect on the accuracy of the Sr isotope data. The method is simple, rapid, eliminates sample preparation time, and avoids potential contamination during complicated sample-preparation procedures. Therefore, the high sample throughput inherent to the MC-ICP-MS can be fully exploited.     

A new81Rb−81mKr generator from enriched82Kr gas for medical use

Present work describes the construction and results of a new⁸¹Rb production target system using highly enriched⁸²Kr (99.95%) gas target material. The method yields a carrier-free product of highest activity and highest possible purity. It allows complete recovery of the expensive target material by freezing and avoids tedious chemical separation procedures. The remote-controlled target system has been constructed and functions extremely well.⁸¹Rb is used for the preparation of a new type of⁸¹Rb–^81mKr generator with a capacity of approximately 60 mCi for use in nuclear medical diagnostic (lung ventillation studies and angioscintigraphy).     

Physicochemical Characterization and Catalytic Properties of Titania Gel Doped with Lithium and Rubidium

The effect on titania of doping with lithium and rubidium titania gels has been studied in samples prepared with titanium (IV) tetra-n-butoxide co-gelling with the alkaline metal precursors. Titania and doped titania were characterized by X-Ray diffraction, which showed that the catalysts were nanostructured. In samples calcined at 400°C, the crystallite size of the anatase phase was 17 and 14 nm, and 78 and 38 nm for samples calcined at 600°C, for Li/TiO₂ and Rb/TiO₂, respectively. The specific surface areas of doped samples (400°C) are lower in Li/TiO₂ (90 m²/g) than in Rb/TiO₂(125 m²/g). Evaluation of their basic properties has been carried out in the acetone condensation reaction. It was found that the activity strongly depended on the Li and Rb ionic radii.     

The structures of the isomorphous potassium and rubidium salts of 4‐nitrobenzoic acid and an overview of the metal complex stereochemistries of the alkali metal salt series with this ligand

4‐Nitrobenzoic acid (PNBA) has proved to be a useful ligand for the preparation of metal complexes but the known structures of the alkali metal salts of PNBA do not include the rubidium salt. The structures of the isomorphous potassium and rubidium polymeric coordination complexes with PNBA, namely poly[μ₂‐aqua‐aqua‐μ₃‐(4‐nitrobenzoato)‐potassium], [K(C₇H₄N₂O₂)(H₂O)₂]_n, (I), and poly[μ₃‐aqua‐aqua‐μ₅‐(4‐nitrobenzoato)‐rubidium], [Rb(C₇H₄N₂O₂)(H₂O)₂]_n, (II), have been determined. In (I), the very distorted KO₆ coordination sphere about the K⁺ centres in the repeat unit comprise two bridging nitro O‐atom donors, a single bridging carboxylate O‐atom donor and two water molecules, one of which is bridging. In Rb complex (II), the same basic MO₆ coordination is found in the repeat unit, but it is expanded to RbO₉ through a slight increase in the accepted Rb—O bond‐length range and includes an additional Rb—O_carboxylate bond, completing a bidentate O,O′‐chelate interaction, and additional bridging Rb—O_nitro and Rb—O_water bonds. The comparative K—O and Rb—O bond‐length ranges are 2.7352 (14)–3.0051 (14) and 2.884 (2)–3.182 (2) Å, respectively. The structure of (II) is also isomorphous, as well as isostructural, with the known structure of the nine‐coordinate caesium 4‐nitrobenzoate analogue, (III), in which the Cs—O bond‐length range is 3.047 (4)–3.338 (4) Å. In all three complexes, common basic polymeric extensions are found, including two different centrosymmetric bridging interactions through both water and nitro groups, as well as extensions along c through the para‐related carboxylate group, giving a two‐dimensional structure in (I). In (II) and (III), three‐dimensional structures are generated through additional bridges involving the nitro and water O atoms. In all three structures, the two water molecules are involved in similar intra‐polymer O—H...O hydrogen‐bonding interactions to both carboxylate and water O‐atom acceptors. A comparison of the varied coordination behaviour of the full set of Li–Cs salts with 4‐nitrobenzoic acid is also made.     

A high‐pressure single‐crystal synchrotron diffraction study of NH4RbTe4O9·2H2O: stability of three different TeOx coordination polyhedra

The crystal structure of ammonium rubidium nonaoxotetratellurate(IV) dihydrate has been studied as a function of pressure up to 7.40 GPa. The ambient‐pressure structure is characterized by the co‐existence of three different Te—O polyhedra (TeO₃, TeO₄ and TeO₅), which are connected to form layers. NH₄⁺, H₂O and Rb⁺ are incorporated between the layers. Both the Rb1 position, which is located on a twofold axis, and the Rb2 position are partially occupied. The three different types of coordination polyhedra around Te⁴⁺ are stable up to at least 5.05 GPa. No phase transition is observed. The fit of the unit‐cell volume as a function of pressure gives a zero‐pressure bulk modulus of 34 (1) GPa with a zero‐pressure volume of V₀ = 2620 (4) ų [B′ = 1.4 (2)].     

Synthetic spectra for radioactive strontium production QA/QC

Radioactive ⁸²Sr/⁸²Rb produced at Los Alamos National Laboratory is routinely used in generators for hospitals and medical laboratories to support cardiac imaging. The proper quantification of strontium radioisotopes in a sample is important to ensure quality and regulatory compliance. However, the quantification of the impurity ⁸⁵Sr is difficult, because its primary gamma-ray at 514 keV interferes with the annihilation peak at 511 keV from ⁸²Rb. Synthetic spectra were created as a quality test of several gamma-ray spectral analysis tools’ ability to resolve peaks in the 511/514 keV multiplet. The peak fitting results from the spectroscopy tools (RAYGUN, SPECANAL, GammaVision, UNISAMPO, and GAMANAL) are presented. These spectra can also be useful for other programs to test their annihilation peak analysis procedures.     

Sr[ReO4]2: The First Single Crystals of an Anhydrous Alkaline-Earth Metal Meta-Perrhenate

Colorless single crystals of Sr[ReO₄]₂ were obtained from halide melts at 1123 K in open corundum crucibles. X-ray diffraction revealed that Sr[ReO₄]₂ crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with the lattice parameters a = 627.31(4) pm, b = 1004.56(7) pm, c = 1271.25(9) pm and β = 97.118(3)° for Z = 4. The crystal structure contains a unique Sr²⁺-cation site surrounded by eight crystallographically different oxygen atoms forming distorted bicapped trigonal prisms. All corners of these [SrO₈]^14– polyhedra (d(Sr–O) = 259–268 pm) are shared with tetrahedral meta-perrhenate units [ReO₄]^– (d(Re–O) = 166–173 pm) formed from two crystallographically different Re⁷⁺ cations surrounded by four O^2– anions each, building up the three-dimensional mosaic-like structure of Sr[ReO₄]₂. Single-crystal Raman data confirm the presence of two different kinds of symmetry-free meta-perrhenate units [ReO₄]^– and match well with results known from literature.     

Hydrothermal extraction of potassium,sodium, rubidium and cesium from rocks by lithium hydroxide and determination at very low natural levels

The selective extraction of Na, K, Rb and Cs from rocks is described. The method is particularly designed for low levels of rubidium and cesium in basic and ultrabasic rocks. The rocks are decomposed with lithium hydroxide solution at 180°C. Only part of the aluminium and chromium accompany the alkali metals into solution; all other rock constitutents are left behind as insoluble lithium silicate, hydroxides of divalent metals, etc. Concentration of rubidium and cesium too low to be determined directly by flame emission spectrometry are pre-concentrated up to 25-fold by liquid-liquid extraction. Quantitative recovery (>99.5%) of the two metals is achieved by coprecipitation with potassium tetraphenylboron within the organic phase (di-isobutyl ketone) for subsequent back-extraction and dissolution in an acidic aqueous phase. Detection limits are 1 mg kg^?1 Na or K, 0.1 mg kg^?1 Rb and 0.05 mg kg^?1 Cs in the rock for the direct determination and 0.003 mg kg^?1 Rb and 0.001 mg kg^?1 Cs after preconcentration. Methods are described for the purification of lithium hydroxide and the potassium nitrate used as carrier. Results are presented for the Na₂ O, K₂O, Rb and Cs contents and the K/Rb values for 23 geochemical references samples (basic and ultrabasic rocks, and iron formation samples).