INORGANIC ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS: 90SR/90Y GENERATOR

90Y是一种发射贝塔的同位素，目前正被用于治疗霍奇金氏病等癌症的放射免疫疗法(RIT)。~(90)Y是~(235)U裂变过程中产生的常见同位素--~(90)Sr的子体产物。由于存在丰富的~(90)锶供应，使~(90)Y成为一种非常有吸引力的医药用途同位素。然而，90Y需要远离长寿的母体，以避免90Sr在骨骼和其他组织中积累。目前的分离技术使用有机离子交换树脂和络合剂来生产纯90Y。这些方法虽然有效，但需要专门的设施，而且分离过程中使用的有机材料容易受到辐射损害。因此，90Y必须在中央位置生产并运往使用点。一个更有吸引力的方法是制造一台90Sr/90Y发电机，允许医院和医学研究机构按需产生90Y。无机离子交换材料是这种发生器的关键部件，因为任何吸收体都必须是辐射稳定的，对90Sr具有高度的选择性，但对90Y的选择性可以忽略不计。第一阶段将评估用于分离~(90)Y和~(90)Sr的一些具有良好特性、选择性锶的无机离子交换器。将使用放射性示踪剂，以确保测试接近模拟发电机的条件。第二阶段将在太平洋西北国家实验室进行高水平90锶的测试，并将导致生产用户友好的90Y发电机原型。拟议的商业应用：90Sr/90Y发生器将通过提高同位素的可用性来促进90Y在医疗应用中的研究。同位素成本也将降低，这将推动90Y用于癌症治疗的进一步研究。如果能够成功地开发出发电机，商业市场可能会达到每年数百万美元。

90Y is a beta-emitting isotope which is finding uses in radioimmunotherapy (RIT) for the treatment of cancers such as Hodgkin's disease. 90Y is the daughter product of 90Sr, a common isotope produced during the fission of 235U. Abundant supplies of 90Sr exist, making 90Y a very attractive isotope for medicinal applications. However, the 90Y needs to be free from the long-lived parent to avoid accumulation of90Sr in bone and other tissue. Current separation techniques use organic ion exchange resins and complexants to produce pure 90Y. Though effective, these methods require specialist facilities and the organic materials used in the separation are prone to radiation damage. Consequently, the 90Y must be produced at a central location and shipped to the point of use. A more attractive method would be to manufacture a 90Sr/90Y generator to allow 90Y to be generated at hospitals and medical research facilities on demand. Inorganic ion exchange materials are the critical part of such a generator since any absorber must be radiation stable, highly selective for 90Sr, but have negligible selectivity for 90Y. Phase I will evaluate a number of well characterized, strontium-selective inorganic ion exchangers for use in the separation of 90Y from 90Sr. Radiotracers will be used to ensure the tests closely mimic generator conditions. Phase II will involve testing with high levels of 90Sr at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and will lead to the production of a user-friendly, prototype 90Y generator. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: A 90Sr/90Y generator will facilitate research in the medical applications of 90Y by improving the availability of the isotope. Isotope costs will also be reduced, fueling further research in the use of 90Y for cancer treatment. The commercial market is likely to be millions of dollars per year if a generator can be successfully developed.