Public Abstract

DE-SC0021260: A rapid membrane-based approach for medical isotope purification

Award Status: Inactive

Institution: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
UEI: HJMKEF7EJW69
PM: Balkin, Ethan

Most Recent Award Date: 09/13/2024
Number of Support Periods: 5
PI: Duval, Christine

Current Budget Period: 09/01/2024 - 08/31/2025
Current Project Period: 09/01/2020 - 08/31/2025

Public Abstract

A Rapid Membrane-Based Approach for Medical Isotope Purification Dr. Christine E. Duval, Assistant Professor Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH 44106 Radiopharmaceuticals are widely used in diagnostic medical imaging and have great potential in other medical applications such as localized radiotherapy and theranostics (simultaneous therapy and diagnostic imaging); however, wide-spread use of these nontraditional radiotherapies has been restricted by their availability. The overall goal of the proposed research is to increase the availability of medical isotopes for fundamental research and clinical trials which requires transformative change from current production and purification methods. Resin-based chromatography is the current state of the art purification scheme and is known to suffer from diffusion limitations resulting in long-purification times and large column volumes to achieve sufficient product recovery. Current resins are prepared by physisorbing extractive ligands into a polyacrylic ester resin. Ligands can leach from these unstable resins overtime and contaminate the final product. Membrane chromatography is a promising alternative to resin-based chromatography because it is not diffusion limited and membranes are synthesized with covalently bound polymeric ligands. Practically, membranes are a chemically stable alternative to resins in which product recovery is not a function of flow rate. In this work, we propose the fundamental studies necessary to understand how to design membrane adsorber architecture and surface chemistry in order to (1) reduce radioisotope purification time from hours to seconds; (2) minimize elution volumes; and (3) provide a chemically pure product. Ultimately, the fundamental knowledge generated as a result of this proposal will lay the foundation for new radiochromatography processes that will increase the US supply of medical isotopes. This research was selected for funding by the Office of Nuclear Physics. _____________________________________________________________________________________

A Rapid Membrane-Based Approach for Medical Isotope Purification

Dr. Christine E. Duval, Assistant Professor

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH 44106

Radiopharmaceuticals are widely used in diagnostic medical imaging and have great potential in other medical applications such as localized radiotherapy and theranostics (simultaneous therapy and diagnostic imaging); however, wide-spread use of these nontraditional radiotherapies has been restricted by their availability. The overall goal of the proposed research is to increase the availability of medical isotopes for fundamental research and clinical trials which requires transformative change from current production and purification methods.

Resin-based chromatography is the current state of the art purification scheme and is known to suffer from diffusion limitations resulting in long-purification times and large column volumes to achieve sufficient product recovery. Current resins are prepared by physisorbing extractive ligands into a polyacrylic ester resin. Ligands can leach from these unstable resins overtime and contaminate the final product. Membrane chromatography is a promising alternative to resin-based chromatography because it is not diffusion limited and membranes are synthesized with covalently bound polymeric ligands. Practically, membranes are a chemically stable alternative to resins in which product recovery is not a function of flow rate. In this work, we propose the fundamental studies necessary to understand how to design membrane adsorber architecture and surface chemistry in order to (1) reduce radioisotope purification time from hours to seconds; (2) minimize elution volumes; and (3) provide a chemically pure product. Ultimately, the fundamental knowledge generated as a result of this proposal will lay the foundation for new radiochromatography processes that will increase the US supply of medical isotopes.

This research was selected for funding by the Office of Nuclear Physics.

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