²¹¹Rn/²¹¹At and ²⁰⁹At production with intense mass separated Fr ion beams for preclinical ²¹¹At-based α-therapy research

Mass-separated francium beams (²¹¹Fr or ²¹³Fr) were implanted into solid targets for producing ²¹¹Rn (14.6 h half-life) or ²⁰⁹At (5.41 h), in situ. ²¹¹Rn was transferred to dodecane and isolated from contaminants, providing sources for ²¹¹At (7.21 h) production by ²¹¹Rn decay (73%). ²⁰⁹At was recovered with high radionuclidic purity in aqueous solutions, directly. These experiments demonstrated Fr beam implantations as a novel method for producing preclinical quantities of ²¹¹Rn/²¹¹At (for therapy) and ²⁰⁹At (for imaging). - Highlights: • Novel production methods for ²¹¹Rn/²¹¹At and ²⁰⁹At using Fr ion beam implantations • Quantitative transfer of ²¹¹Rn from ²¹¹Fr implantation targets to solution (dodecane) • ²¹¹Rn isolation and storage for generating ²¹¹At by ²¹¹Rn electron capture decay • High radionuclidic purity of ²⁰⁹At recovered directly from ²¹³Fr decay