Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for producing a solution including a radionuclide, the method comprising:(a) bombarding a target solution comprising an aqueous solution of a nitrate salt of a metal in the presence of dilute nitric acid in a target cavity of a solution target with protons to produce a solution including a radionuclide, wherein the radionuclide is 68Ga,wherein the target cavity is cooled with a coolant during the bombardment. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target solution is bombarded with protons in the target cavity of the solution target operating as a closed system. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the solution target has a volume capacity of two milliliters or less. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the target cavity is defined by a generally conical wall and a target window foil. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target solution comprises 68Zn-enriched zinc nitrate. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the concentration of nitric acid in the target solution is 0.1 M to 2 M. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises bombarding the target solution with a particle beam having an energy of 15 MeV or less. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:(b) passing the solution including the radionuclide through a column including a sorbent to adsorb the radionuclide on the sorbent; and(c) eluting the radionuclide off the sorbent. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sorbent comprises a hydroxamate resin. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein step (c) comprises eluting the radionuclide off the sorbent using a phosphate. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the radionuclidic purity of the radionuclide is greater than 99% after step (c). 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:(d) passing the eluted radionuclide through a second column including a sorbent. 13. The method of claim 8, wherein step (c) comprises eluting the radionuclide off the sorbent at a pH of 3.5 to 7.