Inorganic ion-exchangers: Their role in chromatographic radionuclide generators for the decade 1993-2002

Ion-exchangers are found not only in water purification processes, the original major application, but also in analytical chemistry for the separation and isolation of elements, hydrometallurgy, inorganic chemistry and biochemistry, in food technology, and of course in many specialized fields related to the utilization of atomic energy. The use of organic ion-exchangers is limited by virtue of their limited stability under harsh conditions, whereas inorganic ion-exchangers possess important properties, which make them very useful for chemical separation and purification in intense radiation fields. The availability of short-lived radionuclides from radionuclide generators provides an inexpensive and convenient alternative to in-house radioisotope production facilities such as accelerators and cyclotrons. Due to their simplicity of operation, chromatographic based generators have been the method of choice, although generators based on solvent extraction and on volatization and sublimation have also been developed, and are routinely used. In this paper use of inorganic ion-exchangers for the development of radionuclide generators for the decade 1993–2002 has been compiled.