Production of 225Ac and 223Ra by irradiation of Th with accelerated protons

Extraction chromatographic behavior of actinium and REE on DGA, Ln and TRU resins in nitric acid solutions

“…Initial proton energy on thorium target varied from 90 to 140 MeV. The irradiation technique was described in details in [13]. The head stage of target processing is the dissolution of irradiated metallic thorium that was performed using 100 ml of 6 M HNO 3 with the addition of catalytic amounts of HF (4.0 9 10 -3 M).…”

“…225 Ac can be also produced by irradiation of 226 Ra by thermal neutrons [11] or 30 MeV protons using cyclotron [12], but processing of massive radium targets is a complicated and a dangerous process. An alternative method of 225 Ac production by irradiation of natural thorium with medium energy protons (90-135 MeV) has been developed [13]. Radiochemical separation of actinium from irradiated thorium targets is a laborious process because of the formation of large number of various fission products, including REE which chemical properties are similar to that of Ac(III).…”

Ac, La, and Ce radioimpurities in 225Ac produced in 40–200 MeV proton irradiations of thorium

“…Recent reports establish that proton irradiation of thorium targets are able to produce approximately 2 Ci (74 GBq) of 225 Ac in a single week's bombardment [10][11][12]. The impact of likely Ac radioisotopic and non-Ac radionuclidic impurities, which might be formed simultaneously during such an irradiation, must be predicated on some understanding of the chemical separation procedures chosen to isolate 225 Ac or 213 Bi for patient use.…”

Preparation of 227Ac/223Ra by neutron irradiation of 226Ra

“…227 Ac activation/decay sequence [2]. Proton fission of 232 Th as an alternative to the reactor production method appeared quite recently [3,4]. A natural source of 227 Ac, originating from the decay chain of 235 U, is also available in limited quantities.…”