Patent Number: 058752200
Section: summary

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to radiochemistry and more specifically, to a process for the production and extraction of pure radiostrontium (Strontium 82 or 85) which is widely used in medicine to diagnose a number of diseases with the use of positron emission tomography. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A process is known in prior art to be used for the production of radiostrontium (see, for instance, L. F. Mausner, et al., Rad. and Isot. Journal, Vol. 38, 1987, pp. 181-184), said process comprising the steps of bombarding by accelerating protons relatively thin targets of rubidium chloride, and extracting radiochemically radiostrontium therefrom. The shortcomings of the above-mentioned process consist in complexity of extracting radiostrontium, insufficient efficiency, corrosion and radiation decomposition of the target material. The closest technical solution is furnished by a process for the production of radiostrontium, said process comprising bombarding a target of metallic rubidium by a beam of accelerating charged particles, followed by extracting the resultant radiostrontium from rubidium by a radiochemical method (see, M. R. Cackette, T. J. Ruth, J. S. Vincent "Sr-82 Production from Metallic Rb Targets and Development of an Rb-82 Generator System", Journal "Applied Radiation and Isotopes", Vol. 44, p.p. 917-922, 1993). The shortcoming of the above-mentioned process also consists in complexity of extracting radiostrontium and insufficient efficiency. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the basis of the present invention is put a problem of improving efficiency of the production of radiostrontium and simplifying the technology of its extraction when a metallic rubidium target is used, through a sorption extraction of radiostrontium directly from liquid rubidium. The problem thus posed is solved owing to that, in the process for the production of radiostrontium, according to the invention, the target of metallic rubidium bombarded by a beam of accelerating charged particles is melted, whereas the extraction of radiostrontium is carried out by sorption on the surface of a sorbing material immersed into the irradiated molten metallic rubidium, wherein as the sorbing material, use is made of materials selected from the group consisting of heat-resistant metals or metallic oxides or silicon which are inert with respect to rubidium. The temperature of the sorbing material is selected to be close to the optimum one for the sorption of radiostrontium which is within the range of from the melting point of metallic rubidium to 220.degree. C., and the temperature of the molten rubidium is selected to be close to the optimum one for the desorption of radiostrontium within the range of from 220.degree. C. to 270.degree. C.