137Cs/137mBa radioisotope generator based on 6-tungstocerate(IV) column matrix

Barium-137m radioisotope generator of the chromatographic column elution mode based on loading 1.5 g 6-tungstocerate(IV) gel matrix with ∼54 kBq of fission-produced 137Cs is described. The elution performance of the generated 137mBa radionuclide was investigated as a function of chemical composition of the eluent, flow rate, elution frequency, and age of the generator system. At comparable conditions, 137mBa eluates with 0.9% NaCl-0.1M HCl eluent had higher elution yields and radionuclidic purity than with 0.1M NH4Cl-0.1M HCl eluent. The generator has been repeatedly eluted for 311 days by passing 4810 ml of the saline eluent (10 ml x 481 elution operations) at a flow rate of 3.0 ml/min. Barium-137m eluates of high and reproducible elution yields, chemical and radionuclidic purities of (≥ 99.99%) were obtained. (author)