Nanoceria-PAN Composite-Based Advanced Sorbent Material: A Major Step Forward in the Field of Clinical-Grade ⁶⁸Ge/⁶⁸Ga Generator

Abstract

The (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator has high potential for clinical positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. However, because of the unavailability of a suitable sorbent material, the commercially available (68)Ge/(68)Ga generators are not directly adaptable for the preparation of (68)Ga-labeled radiopharmaceuticals. In view of this, a new nanoceria-polyacrylonitrile (PAN) composite sorbent has been synthesized by decomposition of a cerium oxalate precursor to cerium oxide and its subsequent incorporation in PAN matrix for the development of a clinical grade (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies and BET nitrogen adsorption technique revealed that nanocrystalline ceria had an average particle size of approximately 10 nm, surface area of 72 +/- 3 m(2)/g and an average pore size of 3.8 +/- 0.1 A. Investigation of the distribution ratio (K(d)) values for the prepared sorbent in 0.01 N HCl medium revealed the suitability of the sorbent for the quantitative retention of (68)Ge and efficient elution of clinical grade (68)Ga. A 370 MBq (10 mCi) (68)Ge/(68)Ga chromatographic generator was developed using this sorbent. (68)Ga could be regularly eluted from this generator with >80% elution yield. The eluted (68)Ga possess high radionuclidic purity (<1 x 10(-5)% of (68)Ge impurity), chemical purity (<0.1 ppm of Ce, Fe and Mn ions) and was amenable for the preparation of (68)Ga-labeled radiopharmaceuticals. The generator gave a consistent performance with respect to the elution yield and purity of (68)Ga over an extended period of 7 months.

Polymer Embedded Nanocrystalline Titania: A New Generation Sorbent for the Separation of 77As from Ge for Biomedical Applications

“…The distribution ratios of Ge ions and As ions at different pH values were determined using the 68 Ge and 77 As radiotracers adopting the procedure reported by us [27,28]. The time dependence of sorption of Ge ions onto TiP was also studied and equilibrium contact time was determined following the reported method [27,28].…”

“…The time dependence of sorption of Ge ions onto TiP was also studied and equilibrium contact time was determined following the reported method [27,28].…”

“…The sorption capacity of the sorbent under static condition was estimated by saturating 500 mg of the sorbent with a 0.1 M NaOH solution containing excess amounts of Ge ions (50 mL, 10 mg Ge mL -1 ) spiked with 68 Ge, for 1 h. The amount of Ge taken up by the sorbent was estimated as per the reported procedure [28], by measuring the radioactivity in the solution before and after adsorption, after allowing the samples to decay for 2 days.…”

“…We have been working on the preparation of nanomaterials for applications in radionuclide separation and have achieved good success [24][25][26][27][28][29]. Our recent success in the utilization of polymer embedded nano-crystalline titania (TiP) [24,25] in the preparation of 99 Mo/ 99m Tc and 188 W/ 188 Re generators inspired us to evaluate its usefulness for accessing 77 As from thermal neutron irradiated natural germanium oxide.…”

Preparation and evaluation of a single vial AMBA kit for 68Ga labeling with potential for imaging of GRP receptor-positive cancers

“…While these developments constitute a step in right direction, their exorbitant price tags emerged as major obstacles that continue to thwart efforts for widespread use. In this premise, the use of nanoceriapolyacrylonitrile (ceria-PAN) based 68 Ge/ 68 Ga generator is highly desirable owing to its ability to provide 68 Ga of adequate radioactive concentration free from metal impurities along with low 68 Ge breakthrough [27].…”