Ion-imprinted resin for use in an automated solid phase extraction system for determining 90Sr in environmental and human samples

Abstract In 90 Sr analysis, determining its daughter 90 Y improves the sensitivity of the radiometric methods. We found that to imprint a cavity made of [Y(6-(4-Vinylphenylcarbamoyl)pyridine-2-carboxylate) 3 ] into a polystyrene skeleton yields a solid phase extraction resin with high selectivity for Y and Ln(III) over transition metals, alkaline, and alkaline-earth cations. We used this resin in an automated chromatography system to extract 90 Y from milk, grass, vegetables, soil, sediments, water, human bones, and milk teeth samples. We found that the ion-imprinted resin could be used to separate light Ln(III) using a pH gradient, favoring the targeting of molecules used in nuclear medicine.