Isolation of cyclotron produced 205Bi, 206Bi and 203Pb using a lead-selective extraction chromatographic resin

The lead-selective extraction chromatographic resin Pb-SpecTM has been evaluated for the separation of Bi-radioisotopes from cyclotron irradiated lead targets. The objective of the work was to obtain sources of 205,206Bi which could be used in the chemical and biological evaluation of Bi-compounds intended for use in targeted radiotherapy. It was found that two consecutive separations using Pb-SpecTM provide a simple and rapid procedure for the prepatation of 205,206Bi sources of the desired quality. The procedure may also be used for the production of 203Pb sources.