Preliminary Study for Separation of Holmium-166 Radioisotope from Irradiated Natural Dysprosium Oxide Target at TRIGA 2000 Bandung Reactor

Abstract

Holmium-166 (166Ho) is one of theranostic radionuclides that was potential for use in nuclear medicine applications. This radiolanthanide can be produced in nuclear reactor through direct or indirect methods. Radioisotope of 166Ho produced from indirect method is a carrier free, so that it has a high specific activity which can be separated from irradiated target. The preliminary study for separation of 166Ho through indirect method from irradiated natural dysprosium oxide (Dy2O3) target at TRIGA 2000 Bandung reactor has been carried out. The separation of 166Ho radionuclide from Dy/Ho matrix of irradiated Dy2O3 target was obtained using extraction chromatography method with LN resin which has a particle size of 50-100 μm as a stationary phase, while nitric acid solution was used as a mobile phase. The purpose of this study is to obtain the separation condition of 166Ho from irradiated natural Dy2O3 target with various amounts of LN resin and concentrations of nitric acid solutions at room temperature. The irradiated of natural Dy2O3 target contained 166Ho, 166Dy and 157Dy radionuclides of 75.10%, 24.56% and 0.34%, respectively. The separation condition with 1.4 N HNO3 (fraction 1-53) and 3 N HNO3 (fraction 54-80) solutions using 3 g of LN resin obtained 166Ho radionuclide with a yield of 40.35±1.23%. The radioisotope of 166Ho obtained from the separation has a high radionuclide purity of 100 %.