The preparation of 18F solution with tritium (3H) as by product

The radioisotopes 18F and 3H were prepared by thermal neutron irradiation of Li2CO3 for 6 hours in a thermal neutron flux of 1012 neutron cm-2sec-118F and 3H were separated from the target material by steam distillation as HF and H2O. 18F was separated ionic form C1 - anion exchanger and elution with 1N HCl. The maximum specific activity attained 18F was 40.0 μci/ml with tritium content <=1.2 μci/ml and the total volume was 25 ml. While the maximum specific activity of tritium (3H) was 20 μci/ml and the total volume was 125 ml. The yield for 18F was 20 percent, of the theoretical. (author)