title: Efficient preparation of high-quality64Cu for routine use.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Copper-64 is an attractive radionuclide for positron emission tomography and is emerging as a radiotherapeutic agent. The demand of64Cu with low metallic impurities has increased because of its wide applications when incorporated with antibodies, peptides, and proteins. In this study, we propose a new separation method to produce high-quality64Cu using a cation exchange column, as well as an automated separation system suitable for large-scale production.
  
  
  METHODS
  64Cu was produced from an electrodeposited64Ni target via the64Ni(p,n)-reaction with a 24MeV HH+ beam at 10eμA (electrical microampere) conducted for 1-3h. The irradiated target was transported to a hot cell and disassembled remotely.64Cu was separated by a solvent mixture of HCl and acetone on a cation-exchange resin, AG50W-X8. The chemical purity of64Cu final product was evaluated using ion-chromatography coupled with a UV detector and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy for quality as well as metallic impurities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained64Cu in dried form at a yield of 5.2-13GBq at the end of separation, or 521±12MBq/eμAh as the final product within 2.5h of processing time. The metallic impurities were a satisfactory low level in the order of ppb. Major contaminants of Co and Ni were lower than those samples obtained by a widely accepted separation using an anion-exchange resin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using a cation-exchange resin and a systematic operation, we successfully reduced the contamination level of the64Cu product. As a straightforward separation method, which shortened the entire processing time, we obtained a satisfactory amount of high-quality64Cu available for routine use.
authors: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
authors: Tomoyuki
authors: T
authors: Ohya
authors: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan. Electronic address: nagatsu.kotaro@qst.go.jp.
authors: Kotaro
authors: K
authors: Nagatsu
authors: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
authors: Hisashi
authors: H
authors: Suzuki
authors: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
authors: Masami
authors: M
authors: Fukada
authors: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
authors: Katsuyuki
authors: K
authors: Minegishi
authors: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Hanyu
authors: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
authors: Toshimitsu
authors: T
authors: Fukumura
authors: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
authors: Ming-Rong
authors: MR
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D003301:Copper Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007474:Ion Exchange; D011786:Quality Control; D011854:Radiochemistry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D003301:Copper Radioisotopes
keywords: (64)Cu; Cation exchange column; Large scale production; Metallic contamination; Quality control; Remote control