Development of a fast characterization setup for radionuclide generators demonstrated by a ²²⁷Ac-based generator

Abstract

The development of a setup for a fast online characterization of radionuclide generators is reported. A generator utilizing the mother nuclide 227Ac sorbed on a cation exchange resin is continuously eluted by using a peristaltic pump. To allow continuous and pulse-free elution of a large volume over extended time periods a 3D-printed interface designed to remove pressure-oscillations induced by the pump was placed between pump and generator column to ensure undisturbed generator elution. The eluate of the generator is passed through a 3D printed flow cell placed inside a borehole Na(Tl)-scintillation detector for high counting efficiency. Alternatively, a HPGe detector suitable for nuclide identification was used to demonstrate the validity of the online method. The detection system combines conventional gamma-ray spectrometry with fast list mode data acquisition in the Matlab software package. Elution experiments were performed at different flow rates of hydrochloric acid, separating 211Bi (t 1/2 = 2.14 min) free from its parent nuclides. In addition, to prove the versatility of the setup, experiments at different hydrochloric acid concentrations were performed resulting in the elution of pure 211Pb (t 1/2 = 36.1 min) and 223Ra (t 1/2 = 11.43 d), respectively.