The preparation of the 239Np tracer from 243Am and the purification of the stock solution

The present work describes preparation of ²³⁹Np tracer from ²⁴³Am stock solution and the purification of this solution from ferric cation. The method of the preparation of tracer involves stabilization of Np(IV) by ascorbic acid and ferric nitrate, separation of ²³⁹Np from ²⁴³Am by extraction chromatography and determination of recoveries of ²³⁹Np by means of gamma spectroscopy. We used the commercially available sorbents TEVA^®Resin for the ²³⁹Np preparation and DGA Resin for ²⁴³Am purification. All sorbents were purchased from Eichrom Industries, Inc. The first eluate from the column can be stored for a future preparation of the tracer and fraction with ²³⁹Np will be used to monitor radiochemical yield of ²³⁷Np.