title: A non-aqueous reduction process for purifying ¹⁵³Gd produced in natural europium targets.
abstract: Gadolinium-153 is a low-energy gamma-emitter used in nuclear medicine imaging quality assurance. Produced in nuclear reactors using natural Eu₂O₃ targets, ¹⁵³Gd is radiochemically separated from europium isotopes by europium reduction. However, conventional aqueous europium reduction produces hydrogen gas, a flammability hazard in radiological hot cells. We altered the traditional reduction method, using methanol as the process solvent to nearly eliminate hydrogen gas production. This new, non-aqueous reduction process demonstrates greater than 98% europium removal and gadolinium yields of 90%.
authors.affiliation: Isotope Sciences Program, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA 99352, USA. Electronic address: ajohnsen@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Johnsen
authors.forename: Chuck Z
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Soderquist
authors.forename: Bruce K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: Darrell R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D005063:Europium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D000432:Methanol; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000592:standards; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012997:Solvents; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012997:Solvents; D005063:Europium; D005682:Gadolinium; D000432:Methanol
keywords: (153)Gd; Europium; Gadolinium; Medical isotopes; Rare earth separations