A novel method for radiochemical separation of radioyttrium from Sr targets using precipitation technique

Abstract A method is described for separating radioyttrium from strontium within 30−40 min. The yield of radioyttrium amounts to 97% and the strontium impurity occurs at 8.2 ppm level. Radioyttrium (containing 86 Y, 87 Y and 88 Y) was produced by proton-induced nuclear reactions on nat SrCO 3 deposited on Cu backing. Irradiated target material was removed with acetone and 8 M HCl solution from copper substrate, followed by ethyl cellulose (EC) filter removal. Optimal radioyttrium separations from Cu and 65 Zn activities were obtained by loading the mixture on Dowex-1×8 anion exchange resin and eluting with 8 M HCl, followed by precipitation of nat Sr as SrSO 4 while radioyttrium passed through the filter paper.