Sorption of Mo(VI) on zirconium molybdosilicate gel and potential application as a 99Mo/99mTc generator

• Published in: Radiochemistry (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 58; no. 4; pp. 409 - 414
• Main Authors: Mostafa, M., Saber, H. M., El-Sadek, A. A., Nassar, M. Y., Amin, A. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 2016
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Nuclear Chemistry; zirconium molybdosilicate gel; technetium-99m; isotope generators; sorption; molybdenum
• ISSN: 1066-3622; 1608-3288
• DOI: 10.1134/S106636221604010X

Sorption of Mo(VI) from aqueous nitrate solutions onto zirconium molybdosilicate (ZrMoSi) gel was studied using 99 Mo radiotracer. The acid–base titration curve showed that the prepared ZrMoSi gel was an amphoteric material with the point of zero charge (PZC) at pH 2.5. The highest distribution coefficient (600 mL g –1 ) of 99 Mo(VI) on ZrMoSi from nitrate media was achieved at pH 2.1. The sorption kinetics of 99 Mo(VI) onto ZrMoSi obeyed the pseudo-second-order model. The breakthrough sorption capacity of ZrMoSi gel was found to be 4.25 × 10 –2 [mmol Mo(VI)] g –1 . The prepared 99 Mo/ 99 m Tc chromatographic column generator showed a good performance: The 99 m Tc elution yield was 87.7%, pH of the eluate ranged from 5.6 to 7.2, and the radionuclidic purity of the eluted 99 m Tc was >99.99% with a radiochemical purity of 98.31% (as 99 m TcO 4 – ).