Device and process for the production of nitrogen-13 ammonium ions using a high pressure target containing a dilute solution of ethanol in water

A process for the production of nitrogen-13 ammonium ions in an aqueous solution, which comprises:

• positioning a target material in a target chamber, said target material consisting essentially of a dilute solution of ethanol in natural water, with an ethanol:water ratio of about 1:5000;
• irradiating said target material within said target chamber with a beam of energetic protons to produce nitrogen-13 atoms through the reaction of said protons with oxygen-16 in said target material, said nitrogen-13 atoms producing nitrogen-13 ammonium within said target material in the presence of said ethanol;
• removing heat from said target chamber during said irradiation of said target material with said protons;
• maintaining said target material under pressure during said irradiating step;
• passing additional target material through said target chamber after said irradiating step to remove said nitrogen-13 atoms from said target material as nitrogen-13 ammonium ions and nitrogen-13 oxides in an aqueous solution;
• separating said nitrogen-13 ammonium ions from said nitrogen-13 oxides;
• and
• collecting said nitrogen-13 ammonium ions.