Improved extraction efficiency of radioactive copper produced via accelerator neutrons method through phosphate buffer-enhanced column pre-treatment

We report a straightforward and robust method for isolating medical copper radioisotopes ⁶⁴Cu and ⁶⁷Cu, generated by an accelerator neutrons technique from ^natZn(n, x). This study reveals the key role of a phosphate buffer pre-treatment of the cation exchange column in the separation process. Incorporating the phosphate buffer into the column pre-treatment markedly enhances the retention of copper isotopes within the column throughout the separation procedure. This approach yields a remarkably high-purity radioactive copper sample with a high extraction efficiency of 94.4 (1.5) % of the initially produced copper, all within a relatively short experimental timeframe of approximately 5 h for 100 g of starting material. This single-step separation scheme is reproducible across a range of starting material target sizes, from small (10 g) to large (100 g). The copper radioisotopes obtained are suitable for use in pre-clinical studies. Thus, this approach offers a more effective means for routine preparation of copper radioisotopes.