Production of chemically pure gaseous [13N]NH3 pulses for PEP studies using a modified DeVarda reduction

D P Sobczy; J van Grondelle; A M de Jong; M J A de Voigt; R A van Santen

doi:10.1016/s0969-8043(02)00094-5

Production of chemically pure gaseous [13N]NH3 pulses for PEP studies using a modified DeVarda reduction

Appl Radiat Isot. 2002 Aug;57(2):201-7. doi: 10.1016/s0969-8043(02)00094-5.

Authors

D P Sobczy¹, J van Grondelle, A M de Jong, M J A de Voigt, R A van Santen

Affiliation

¹ Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Schuit Institute of Catalysis, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands. d.p.sobczyk@tue.nl

PMID: 12150279
DOI: 10.1016/s0969-8043(02)00094-5

Abstract

A fast and reproducible production method for pure gaseous [13N]NH3 pulses has been developed. 13N was produced by irradiation of water with 500 nA of 16 MeV protons via the 16O(p,alpha)13N reaction. A mixture of DeVarda's alloy and NaOH was used to convert the produced nitrate/nitrite to ammonia. Pre-treatment of this mixture with water increased the concentrated production of gaseous [13N]NH3. Separation and further purification of ammonia were performed with GC, leading to 5s pulses (1.1 ml STP) with 3.5 +/- 0.5 MBq [13N]NH3 with a high chemical and radiochemical purity suited for positron emission profiling (PEP).