Supercritical Fluid Separation and Purification of Rare Earth Elements, particularly Lanthanides including 177-Lu, to Lower Energy Consumption, Reduce Processing Time and Reduce Wastes

The Department of Energy has a mission to ensure America's prosperity and security by addressing energy and environmental challenges. Radioactive isotopes are used in nuclear medicine, energy and environmental sciences and for national security. This Phase I project aims to produce domestic, economic and environmentally responsible separation process for radioactive isotopes from lanthanides - rare earth metals, particularly ytterbium and lutetium using clean and green supercritical fluids. Radioactive lutetium is a short-lived isotope used in cancer detection and therapies, with particularly positive results in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor therapy, which effects over 20,000 patients annually in the US. The proposed project will test the supercritical fluid separation capabilities of irradiated isotopes, providing a domestic supply for medicine. Currently, the radiopharmaceuticals are not developed in the US. Our innovative approach will reduce processing time resulting a higher specific activity of the isotopes to improve results. Conventional processes result in significant amounts of waste and acidic solvents for disposal as well as time consuming processes. This successful technology will provide radiopharmaceutical therapy, developed, produced and transported within the United States to increase access at a lower cost than currently available.