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Researchers report fastest purification of astatine-211 needed for targeted cancer therapy
Astatine-211 recovery from bismuth metal using a chromatography system. Unlike bismuth, astatine-211 forms chemical bonds with ketones.
In a recent study, Texas A&M University researchers have described a new process to purify astatine-211, a promising radioactive isotope for targeted cancer treatment. Unlike other elaborate purification methods, their technique can extract astatine-211 from bismuth in minutes rather than hours, which can greatly reduce the time between production and delivery to the patient.
“Astatine-211 is currently under evaluation as a cancer therapeutic in clinical trials. But the problem is that the supply chain for this element is very limited because only a few places worldwide can make it,” said Jonathan Burns, research scientist in the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station’s Nuclear Engineering and Science Center. “Texas A&M University is one of a handful of places in the world that can make astatine-211, and we have delineated a rapid astatine-211 separation process that increases the usable quantity of this isotope for research and therapeutic purposes.”
The researchers added that this separation method will bring Texas A&M one step closer to being able to provide astatine-211 for distribution through the Department of Energy’s Isotope Program’s National Isotope Development Center as part of the University Isotope Network.
Details on the chemical reaction to purify astatine-211 are in the journal Separation and Purification Technology.
Hiroto Matsuura, Ken Nakano, Yosuke Kuwahara, Shinichiro Kado
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 55 | Number 2 | February 2009 | Pages 52-58
Technical Paper | Seventh International Conference on Open Magnetic Systems for Plasma Confinement | dx.doi.org/10.13182/FST09-A6982
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Neutral particle behavior and H alpha emission spectrum are simulated with Monte Carlo code DEGAS for divertor simulator Material and Plasma(MAP)-II. Effect of plasma condition (ie. detach and attach) on neutral particle transport and H alpha emission is studied. Target plate reflection is the main neutral source for MAP-II attached plasma. Change of projectiles and comparison with puffing source are also shown.
