System and method for metallic isotope separation by a combined thermal-vacuum distillation process

A method for separating a 99mTc isotope from a molybdenum target, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing an initial multicomponent mixture of elements from the molybdenum target, said mixture containing 99mTc;
• oxidizing said multicomponent mixture of elements with an oxidizing agent to oxidize the multicomponent mixture of elements, wherein the oxidation occurs at a temperature range of from about 800° C. to about 1200° C.;
• sublimating said oxidized multicomponent mixture of elements to generate a vaporized compound containing a volatile oxide of 99mTc;
• condensing the vaporized compound containing the volatile oxide of 99mTc in a condenser unit to form a condensed reaction product;
• adding a base to the condensed reaction product to form a pertechnetate;
• collecting said pertechnetate as a crude solution;
• and
• purifying the crude pertechnetate solution using column chromatography to provide the 99mTc isotope as a radiochemical compound.