Optimized procedures for manganese-52: Production, separation and radiolabeling.

Pressed chromium-powder cyclotron targets were irradiated with 16MeV protons, producing 52Mn with average yields of 6.2±0.8MBq/µAh. Separation by solid-phase anion exchange from ethanol-HCl mixtures recovered 94.3±1.7% of 52Mn and reduced the chromium content by a factor of 2.2±0.4×105. An additional AG 1-X8 column was used to remove copper, iron, cobalt and zinc impurities from the prepared 52Mn in 8M HCl. The macrocyclic chelator DOTA was rapidly radiolabeled with 52Mn in aq. ammonium acetate (pH 7.5R.T.) with a radiochemical yield >99% within 1min and was stable for >2 days in bovine serum. The improved separation and purification methodology facilitates the use of 52Mn in basic science and preclinical investigations.