Tribolet, A; Cross, S; Russell, B (2025) Automated radiochemistry review for nuclear applications. NPL Report. IR 70

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Abstract

Chemical separation of target radionuclides from interferences is a key part of radioanalytical procedures to ensure accurate measurement. Over the last 30 years, automation of radiochemical separation has been pursued because of potential advantages over manual separation, including reduced worker exposure to radioactivity, improved reliability and safety, shorter analysis times, higher throughput, and improved reproducibility. Automation is still a relatively new approach for radiochemical separations, with limited literature reporting on its use compared to more common bench separations.

NPL have recently acquired automated radiochemical separation, and as part of this have undertaken a review of the literature, from the first published work in 1994 to the present day to identify patterns in automated separation with regards to the radionuclides of interest and application area (e.g. nuclear medicine, decommissioning, forensics).

Of the application areas, environmental radioactivity remained a consistent area of interest, with nuclear safeguards, radioecology, and tracer studies having fewer publications. Since the latest review of automated radiochemistry published in 2020, there has been an increase in the number of applications for medical radionuclides, with 68Ga and 89Zr frequently studied. In the areas of emergency preparedness and nuclear waste management, 90Sr is the most frequently studied radionuclide.

Item Type:	Report/Guide (NPL Report)
NPL Report No.:	IR 70
Keywords:	Automated radiochemistry
Subjects:	Ionising Radiation > Radioactivity
Divisions:	Medical, Marine & Nuclear
Identification number/DOI:	10.47120/npl.IR70
Last Modified:	26 Jun 2025 13:14
URI:	https://eprintspublications.npl.co.uk/id/eprint/10182