Separation of actinium-227 and its daughter radium-223 from phosphogypsum

AbstractA new method for separation and purification of227Ac and223Ra from phosphogypsum was developed.227Ac was leached from phosphogypsum using nitric acid solution (3  mol L−1), and purified using Dowex 1  × 8 and Dowex 50wx8 ion exchangers. The maximum separation recovery was about 86%.223Ra was separated from the purified227Th/227Ac solution using UTEVA resin, while RE resin was used to separate227Ac from the mixture. The method can be used in the preparation of a source with an activity concentration of 10  kBq of227Ac, by leaching one ton of phosphogypsum containing 11  Bq kg−1 of227Ac.
Source: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Category: Nuclear Medicine Source Type: research