Simultaneous production of 89Zr and 90,91m,92mNb in α-particle activated yttrium and their subsequent separation by HDEHP

Simultaneous production of carrier-free 89Zr and 90,91m,92mNb through the respective nuclear reactions, (α, pxn) and (α, xn), has been done by a particle activation of Y2O3 target. The sequential separation of the produced radioisotopes from the bulk target matrix has been achieved through liquid-liquid extraction using HDEHP as a liquid cation exchanger. Gamma spectrometric studies of the carrier-free radionuclides have been performed in both destructive and nondestructive routes of analysis.