Auger-emitting radionuclides, exemplified by Pd-103, exhibit considerable therapeutic
potential in cancer treatment due to their high cytotoxicity and localized biological
impact. Despite these advantages, the separation of such radionuclides presents a
complicated challenge, requiring intricate and time-intensive “wet chemistry” methods
attributed to the exceptional chemical inertness of the associated metals. This study
proposes an innovative solution to this separation challenge through the design and
implementation of a piece of radionuclide separation equipment (RSE). The equipment
employs a dry distillation approach, capitalizing on differences in partial vapor
pressures between irradiated and resulting radioactive metals, with a diffusion-driven
extraction method applied to separate Pd-103 radionuclides generated via the proton
irradiation of Rh-103 at cyclotron. Our optimization endeavors focused on determining
the optimal temperature for effective metal separation and adjusting the diffusion,
evaporation, and deposition rates, as well as addressing chemical impurities. The
calculations indicate 17% ± 2% separation efficiency with our RSE. Approximately 77
± 2% and 49 ± 2% of the deposited Pd-103 were isolated on substrates of Nb foil and
ZnO-covered W disc, respectively. The proposed innovative dry distillation method
that has been experimentally tested offers a promising alternative to conventional
separation techniques, enabling enhanced purity and cost-efficient cancer treatment
strategies.
