Radioisotope recovery
AssigneeUniversity of Hull
InventorsStephen James Archibald, Ping He, Stephen John Haswell, Nicole Pamme, Nathan Joel Brown, Mark Duncan Tarn, Richard Alexander
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for separating and recovering a radioisotope from a solution. More particularly, certain embodiments of the invention relate to a method for recovering a radioisotope from a solution by electro-trapping and release using a microfluidic cell (10). The radioisotope may subsequently be used in the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals.
Claims27
A method for separating and recovering a radioisotope from an aqueous solution comprising the radioisotope, the method comprising:
- using a microfluidic device comprising a chamber;
- flowing the aqueous solution to the chamber, the chamber comprising a first electrode and a second electrode;
- generating a first electric field between the first and second electrodes, thereby trapping the radioisotope on the first electrode;
- flowing an organic-based solution to the chamber comprising the first and the second electrodes;
- and
- generating a second electric field between the first and the second electrodes;
- wherein the second electric field has an opposing polarity to the first electric field, thereby releasing the radioactive isotope from the first electrode into the organic-based solution;
- and
- wherein the first electrode is formed from a carbon rod or section thereof.
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An apparatus for separating and recovering a radioactive isotope from an aqueous solution comprising the radioactive isotope, the apparatus comprising:
- an inlet;
- an outlet;
- and
- a chamber in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet to form a fluid pathway, the chamber comprising a first electrode and a second electrode;
- wherein:
- the first electrode is formed from a carbon rod;
- the chamber has a volume capacity of no greater than about 50 μL;
- the distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is no greater than 0.5 mm;
- and
- the apparatus optionally comprises a heater.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.