Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method comprising:sterilizing a column assembly with a sterilizer, the column assembly including a column having a parent radionuclide contained therein;transferring the column assembly from the sterilizer to a first clean room environment;transferring the column assembly from the first clean room environment to a second clean room environment; andcollecting a sterility test sample from the column assembly within the second clean room environment. 2. The method of claim 1 including:transferring the column assembly directly from the sterilizer to the first clean room environment; andtransferring the column assembly directly from the first clean room environment to the second clean room environment. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting a sterility test sample includes eluting the column assembly through a collection canister including a filter. 4. The method of claim 3, further including adding growth media to the collection canister. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein sterilizing the column assembly includes exposing the column assembly to at least one of saturated steam and a steam-air mixture. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the sterility test sample includes collecting the sterility test sample from the column assembly within 4 hours of sterilizing the column assembly. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first clean room environment has at least a Grade B classification, and the second clean room environment has a Grade A classification. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first clean room environment is a negatively pressurized clean room environment, and the second clean room environment is a positively pressurized clean room environment. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the column assembly from the first clean room environment to the second clean room environment includes loading the column assembly into a transfer door located between the first and second clean room environments. 10. The method of claim 9, further including rotating the transfer door from a first position, in which an interior cavity of the transfer door is accessible from the first clean room environment, to a second position, in which the interior cavity of the transfer door is accessible from the second clean room environment.