Preparation and characterization of cerium(IV) tellurium molybdate gel and its application as a bed for chromatographic ⁹⁹Mo/^99mTc generator

Abstract

Cerium(IV) tellurium molybdate was prepared as a new gel bed for chromatographic ⁹⁹Mo/^99mTc generator. The gel material prepared with the optimum conditions was characterized with IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, XRD, EDX and FESEM. The highest precipitation yield of ⁹⁹Mo within the formed gel was found to be 97.6 % at a Ce:Te:Mo molar ratio of 1:0.2:1. The prepared ⁹⁹Mo/^99mTc chromatographic column based on Ce(IV) tellurium molybdate gel bed showed a good performance. The ^99mTc elution yield was 77.8±3.0 % with a radionuclidic purity of ≥ 99.99 %, radiochemical purity of 96.5±1.3 % (as ^99mTcO₄^-) and pH-value in the range of 5-7. Molybdenum and cerium levels in ^99mTc eluates did not exceed 1 and 0.3 ppm, respectively, while no tellurium was detected.