Background technology
By using particle, the proton bombardment on-radiation target in the cyclotron particularly, making the fraction on illuminated target surface become one or more radioactive isotopes, to prepare radioactive isotope be known.By following any method isotope is separated with target then:
(i) target and radioisotopic dissolving fully,
(ii) target and radioisotopic being partly dissolved are so only contained radioisotopic target surface and are removed, and target stays the preparation further irradiation and the circulation of purifying.
In two kinds of methods, dissolve medium all will pass through further purification step, and this step relates to one or more selection isolation technics such as ion-exchange chromatography, solvent extraction or precipitation.Method (ii) can be used the condition of control, as the limiting concentration or the amount of chemicals, or has only the target surface that the solvent of obvious solubleness is arranged.When target is relatively costly, for example be used for improving the particular isotope of artificial concentration stage of the output of the radioactive isotope product of wanting, method for optimizing was (ii) when perhaps target included noble metal.Method (ii) also has the advantage of the on-radiation target material that contains reduced levels in the solution.This is more prone to ensuing radioisotopic separation and purification.(wherein very wish to remove the on-radiation target material (typically being heavy metal) of genotoxic potential level) when radioactive isotope is used in when relating to the medical application that is administered into human body (that is, radiopharmaceuticals), this method is particularly useful.
US4487738 discloses the proton spallation of passing through zinc oxide target, and Chemical Decomposition is DNAcarrier free with the preparation of purifying then
67Cu.With proton irradiation zinc oxide target, and irradiated target is dissolved in concentrated acid with 800MeV energy.Then will by a series of ion-exchange chromatographies and precipitation program
67Cu separates.
US3993538 discloses by the proton bombardment thallium target with 20~30MeV, process
203Tl (p, 3n)
201The Pb reaction, it is radiopharmaceutical that preparation is suitable as myocardial imaging
201Tl.Form
201The radioisotopic half life period of Pb is 9.4 hours, and decay is what want
201Tl.After the irradiation, target is dissolved in the red fuming nitric acid (RFNA) fully, forms soluble plumbi nitras and thallium nitrate.Through evaporation and further chemical purification step, obtain wanting
201The Tl product.
The use that comprises the target material of two or more metals is known.US4297166 has proposed a kind of preparation radioactive isotope
201The thallium target of Tl, wherein
203Tl target material is electroplated onto on conductive carrier such as copper or the silver.Conductive carrier has two advantages.The first, it can be used to provide the effective cooling to the thallium layer (by circulating fluid such as water or gas).The second, it handles target and becomes easily, because have only the radioactive isotope of thallium target layer and formation dissolved in processing procedure.This makes
201The radioisotopic purification of Tl is easier, because processed target solution does not contain a large amount of on-radiation conductive carriers (as copper).After the chemical treatment, the target conductive carrier can be utilized easily by electroplating the proton bombardment then of more thallium again.
JP04-326096A (1992) has proposed a kind of cyclotron target that comprises the silver that is electroplated onto on the copper carrier.With needed target material (
68Zn) be electroplated onto on the silver, use proton beam radiation then.Silver layer means in the acid treating solution not cupric, that is, want
68Radioisotopic recovery of Zn and purification become easy.
US6011825 has proposed a kind of preparation radioactive isotope, particularly
64The cyclotron method of Cu.By being deposited on the golden substrate to containing
64The proton bombardment of the target of Ni obtains
64Cu.Irradiated
64Ni with
64The Cu product is dissolved in 6.0M hydrochloric acid at 90 ℃ from the gold dish together.
Therefore the chemical method that is used to handle target of prior art is used the strong solution of mineral acid (example hydrochloric acid) usually, or as strong oxidizers such as hydrogen peroxide.Also can use simultaneously is again the acid of strong oxidizer, as red fuming nitric acid (RFNA).Also usually use heating.If considering dissolved target material perhaps is inactive relatively metal such as rhodium, so above-mentioned violent condition is understandable.The difficulty of the dissolving of the needs of realization target may also mean the duration of contact that needs are long.For radioactive isotope, the time that whole this target is handled also is the occurent time of wanting of product cooling, and promptly product loses.The half life period of radioactive isotope product is short more, and the potential problems that this point is brought are big more.
Use existing another problem of violent condition of this class prior art to be, because of chemical hazard and Radio Active Hazard, the essential radioactive Treatment Solution of handled.In addition, when hope had only illuminated target surperficial dissolved, so above-mentioned condition had increased other element of dissolving target such as the possibility of conductive carrier.Next Treatment Solution needs more chemical treatment also is a problem, in wanting as the radioisotopic separation below carrying out with before purifying and strong acid.
Therefore need a kind of improving one's methods of this radioactive isotope target of under the condition of gentleness, handling.
Summary of the invention
First aspect the invention provides and a kind ofly separates radioisotopic method from irradiated target, comprising:
(i) provide and have the illuminated target that comprises described radioisotopic surperficial solid matter;
(ii) handle described illuminated target with dissolve medium;
(iii) when dissolve medium contacts with the surperficial solid matter of described target, this dissolve medium is used sonication;
(iv) separate and contain radioisotopic dissolve medium;
(v) randomly repeating step is (ii)~(iv).
Target of the present invention suitably comprises a kind of ' surperficial solid matter ', and when it was shone by charged particle, it reacted and provides one or more radioactive isotopes.Therefore should the surface solid matter be that reacting in irradiation process of illuminated target provides radioisotopic that part of wanting.The charged particle appropriate sources is in a kind of accelerator, preferred cyclotron.Charged particle can be proton, deuterium, α particle,
3He or electronics, preferred proton.Suitable surperficial solid matter comprises metal, as thallium, cadmium, rhodium, molybdenum or zinc, or metal oxide, as zinc paste, strontium oxide strontia or gallium oxide, add the material of the particular isotope that contains artificial concentration stage.Preferred surperficial solid matter is to be suitable for the material of plating (as by electroplating or electroless deposition) to the carrier mass.
Described target preferably comprises ' carrier mass ', and the skin of irradiated surperficial solid matter is provided on it.The effect of carrier mass is to provide effective cooling to irradiated surperficial solid matter in irradiation process, and allows not have big variation and give under the condition of utilizing again and separate radioactive isotope at carrier mass.Described ' carrier mass ' preferably comprises is the material of heat and/or electric good conductor, promptly is electric conductor.The suitable carriers material comprises copper, silver, aluminium, stainless steel or carbon (as graphite).The shape and size that carrier mass suitably has easy making and is installed to target assembly easily and unloads down from target assembly.The preferable shape of carrier mass is tabular.
Carrier mass preferably comprises silver, and most preferably integral body is made of silver, because silver is better than copper.The on-radiation copper of copper carrier mass can be dissolved in acidic leach medium (particularly nitric acid).This makes radioisotopic purification and separates the difficulty more that becomes, and for example, owing to increased the viscosity of dissolve medium, makes the solvent extraction of radioactive isotope product become difficult more.Therefore use silver as an advantage of carrier mass to be, silver is not soluble in nitric acid, and it is easier to ensuing radioisotopic purification., silver has certain solubleness in concentrated hydrobromic acid, therefore just not too has superiority when dissolve medium contains concentrated hydrobromic acid.
In addition, when copper is carrier mass, and target is during through proton bombardment, anyly passes surperficial solid matter and will be caused potential impurity radioactive isotope by the proton that copper is caught
65The generation of Zn.Formed to small part
65Zn can be dissolved in dissolve medium, especially when dissolve medium comprises aqueous acids, because Zn (0) is dissolved in acid.
65The half life period of Zn is 244 days, and therefore, copper targeting vector material and dissolve medium in fact all are subjected to long-term pollution.For the copper carrier board, wait for
65The required time of the cooling of Zn is grown (at least 10 half life period) very much, so that the corrosion of copper carrier might take place in the storage stage of waiting for decay.Therefore, in fact copper coin can not be reused.And dissolve medium is any
65Even Zn pollute mean at the radioactive isotope product of wanting separated or extract after, dissolve medium is essential preserves a very long time to wait for
65The decay of Zn.On the contrary, if carrier mass comprises silver, any proton of being caught by silver produces radioactive isotope
105Ag and
106mAg, its half life period was respectively 41.3 days and 8.5 days.The result is (suitably being about 1 year) after suitable die-away time, and this silver targeting vector can be reused.
Can comprise with the radioactive isotope of the inventive method preparation:
201Tl,
83Rb,
88Y,
88Zr,
96Tc,
97Ru,
111In,
67Ga,
68Ge,
57Co,
103Pd,
62Cu and
67Cu.This method is particularly useful for
201Tl,
111In,
67Ga,
103Pd,
57Co and
62Cu, particularly
201Tl.The present invention can also be applied to the preparation of parent radioisotope, this parent radioisotope decay and provide and be suitable as radiopharmaceutic positron emitter, as be used to so-called radioisotope generator.Suitable parent radioisotope (having the positron emission daughter) comprising:
82Sr (
82Rb),
68Ge (
68Ga) and
62Zn (
62Cu).
When target of the present invention comprised carrier mass, this carrier mass can randomly comprise ' inert layer ' at its outside surface again.This inert layer suitably is formed on the non-active layer between surperficial solid matter and the carrier mass body.Inert layer contains the material that is insoluble to dissolve medium basically, thereby can prevent that carrier mass is partly dissolved when handling irradiated target.Preferably, the inert layer thickness that provides is lower than the permeability maximization of 10 μ m with the charged particle that is used in target radiation, thereby also makes because of inert layer self the potential radioactive isotope impurity that the seizure of charged particle causes is minimized.The effect of inert layer is, any radioactive isotope impurity that reduces the targeting vector material and form because of irradiation targeting vector material (as, come from the low-yield gamma emitter of silver-colored carrier mass
105Ag and
106mAg) dissolving in dissolve medium.Any this dissolving all may be introduced potential impurity in the radioactive isotope product of wanting.Suitable inert layer comprises inactive metal, as silver, gold, platinum, tungsten, tantalum or nickel.When surperficial solid matter is a zinc, and carrier mass is when being copper, and nickel is preferred inert layer material so.Inert layer preferably comprises gold or silver, most preferably gold.The advantage of gold is to have bigger passivity (that is, lower chemical activity), and the most suitable solid matter of accepting target institute plating.
Sonication of the present invention can be suitably provides by being immersed in the ultrasonic probe in the dissolve medium or vibrating by the external acoustic waves of container that dissolve medium is housed or bath.Suitable sonication probe and sonication are bathed and can be obtained from market.
The sonication instrument with the frequency of power supply (as 50~60Hz) electric energy that become high frequency 20kHz.This high-frequency electrical energy becomes mechanical vibration (no matter the sonication probe still is a sonication is bathed) by the converter of sonication instrument again.Mechanical vibration are strengthened by the sonication instrument, produce pressure wave like this in dissolve medium.These pressure waves form microvesicle in dissolve medium, described microvesicle is expanded at the negative pressure phase time, and in the violent implosion of normal pressure phase time.This phenomenon is known as cavitation, and causes that the molecule in dissolve medium acutely shakes.The peak value cavitation level of suitable sonication probe is about 500W/cm
2, frequency is about 20kHz, and the bath of suitable sonication can have the 1W/cm of being about
2Than the low peak cavitation level, frequency is 36~42kHz.
Sonication is bathed can comprise any material compatible with dissolve medium, but preferred Teflon
TM 201In the preparation of Tl, find to exist separating distance effect (seeing embodiment 1 and 2).Promptly find, although use the ultrasonic immersion probe can accelerate dissolution, close on probe through irradiation
203Tl-enriched target material dissolves easily, and separates than indissoluble away from those parts of the illuminated target of probe.Just, immerse probe and hang down the homogeneity effect, and supersonic oscillations are bathed the characteristic that provides more even or homogeneous phase because of inhomogeneity produces.Therefore, when the size of target and geometric configuration be fit to whole immersion sonication bathe in the time, so preferably use described sonication to bathe, promptly adopt the external acoustic waves vibration of dissolve medium.The external acoustic waves vibration gives shorter dissolution time (seeing embodiment 1), and because of between twice preparation, not needing immersing the clean or decontamination thereby convenient of probe.When the size of target and geometric configuration made that the part of having only target can immerse the sonication bath, inner sonication may be a best choice.
Short dissolution time is considered to come from the improved dynamics of mixed dissolution medium and surperficial solid matter among the present invention, and it is owing to the cavitation of dissolve medium.When the solubleness of illuminated target material in dissolve medium is lower, particularly in the time of the whole illuminated target of needs dissolvings, this can provide significant improvement.For the radioactive isotope product, any reduction in target processing time all will cause productive rate to increase, because reduced the loss that the cooling in the target processing causes.Very clear, short more when the radioisotopic half life period, this problem is just serious more, the positron emitter that may only have an appointment several hours as the half life period.The short processing time can also reduce radiation risk to the operator by reducing the target processing time.
Method of the present invention also allows to use much gentle that condition is handled illuminated target.This comprises acid and/or oxidizing agent solution that use is rarer, lower temperature and shorter reaction time.In preparation
201Tl's
203In the example of Tl target, rare moisture nitric acid can replace conventional red fuming nitric acid (RFNA) (7M) solution as dissolve medium.Term ' rare moisture nitric acid ' is meant 0.5~1.5M, preferred 0.8~1.2M, the most preferably aqueous solution of about 1M.Use this rare nitric acid can significantly reduce the dissolving of not expecting of the silver or the copper carrier of illuminated target, thereby make
201It is easy that the purification of Tl product becomes.Use this gentleness dissolve medium in addition the equipment of implementing this method to be brought the advantage of littler corrosion danger.
Second aspect the invention provides preparation
201Tl improves one's methods.This is improved one's methods and comprises the aforesaid sonication method of use, together with containing
203Tl as target by the target of the surperficial solid matter at proton irradiation position, and dissolve medium is aforesaid ' rare nitric acid '.Carrier mass preferably contains silver, most preferably is that integral body is made of silver metal.Silver is had aforesaid advantage as carrier mass, and the sonication method provides the short processing time, made
201The productive rate of Tl improves.
Radioactive isotope
201Tl has illustrated the important Another reason of processing time of why lacking.It is preparation by the following method usually: to enrichment
203The solid target material of Tl carries out proton beam radiation, by (p, 3n) nuclear reaction provides
201Pb extracts the trace produced then
201Pb.
201The Pb head product is decayed and
201Tl, the half life period is 9.4 hours.This means accessing and want
201Before the Tl, must
201Pb and target
203The Tl Chemical Decomposition is because in case formed
201The Tl product of decaying, it with
203Tl target chemistries is identical, thereby they can not be separated.Therefore, by after shortening proton irradiation and finishing, realize
203Tl-enriched target material with
201The Pb head product required time of separation reduces
201The loss of Tl is very important.Like this, exist
201Under the situation of Tl, the illuminated target dissolution time short why is important this respect, exists the reason of Chemical Decomposition aspect.The Theoretical Calculation explanation, every increase of processing time 1 hour, end-product
201The output of Tl just loses 7.7%.
Illustrate the present invention with following embodiment:
Embodiment 1: right
203The sonication of Tl target (Comparative Examples)
Go up at three identical silver-colored target plates (that is, solid silver is used as carrier mass, is tabular, the target of inertialess layer) and to electroplate 1200mg
203Tl, and immerse respectively in 5% aqueous solution of nitric acid (volumetric molar concentration the is approximately 1M) dissolve medium in three baths.Finish according to following condition
203The dissolving of Tl target material:
(a) no sound wave vibration,
(b) use the 100W ultrasonic probe,
(c) with ultra sonic bath (300W).
Dissolve all
203Tl target material needs 20 minutes when using the inside sonication (b) of using the immersion probe, need 13 minutes when use is vibrated (c) by the external acoustic waves of bath.During the vibration of no sound wave, i.e. method (a), even add rare nitric acid after 30 minutes thallium target material can not dissolve.
Embodiment 2 uses the argentiferous target
201The preparation of Tl
To have tabular solid silver as carrier mass, and top plating there is 1200mg
203The Tl-enriched fractions is installed on the target bracing or strutting arrangement of aluminium formation as the target of surperficial solid matter.With the proton beam radiation target of about 30MeV 8 hours.Through what shine
203Carry out in the ultra sonic bath that is dissolved in 300W sonication power of Tl-enriched target material, with 5% aqueous solution of nitric acid (being about 1M) as dissolve medium.Be dissolved in about 10 minutes and finish, in solution, add hydrochloric acid then.Produce
201The radioisotopic separation of Pb is by using diisopropyl ether to through irradiation
203The solvent extraction of Tl-enriched target material realizes.
From proton bombardment finish to
201Pb separates needed finish in 1.6 hours.Therefore total processing time is compared as follows with the example of no sound wave vibration:
No sound wave vibration (prior art) embodiment 2
Dissolution time (min) 25~30 10~15
The evaporation time of nitric acid (min) 40 0
2.4 hours 1.6 hours total processing time
Therefore, method of the present invention was saved about 0.8 hour.
Obtain by this method
201The radioactivity productive rate of Tl exists
201When Pb separates 15hr after finishing, be the 21.9GBq/ target plate.
Embodiment 3: use cupric target
201The preparation of Tl
Carrier mass is made of copper, and its surperficial plating has
203The target plate of Tl-enriched target material is installed on the target bracing or strutting arrangement that aluminium constitutes and prepares
201Tl is with the condition irradiation of proton such as embodiment 2.In the target substance dissolves in after the bath of 7M nitric acid as dissolve medium, with and embodiment 2 same method to through shining
203Tl-enriched target material extracts, and just separating step is following carries out:
(i) evaporation of nitric acid,
(ii) use a small amount of (approximately 10ml) aqua regia dissolution precipitation (comprising mantoquita),
(iii) add hydrochloric acid, and
(iv) solvent extraction.
Use this method, from end of bombardment to finishing
201Pb separates needs 2.5 hours.Use this method to obtain
201The exit dose of Tl is separating with described method
201During 15hr behind the Pb, be the 18.8GBq/ plate.Compare with embodiment 2
201Tl than low yield can owing to:
(a)
201The processing time that Pb separates is grown 1 hour than embodiment 2,
(b) a large amount of dissolvings of copper coin in the nitric acid dissolve medium have reduced
201Treatment effeciency after Pb separates.