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.