Isotope production technologies developed on the principles discussed in Section 8.5.2 consists of the following typical steps: IAEA TECDOC-1341 (2003) and IAEA Technical Reports Series No.63 (1966).

1. selection of the optimal physical and chemical form, as well as the isotope abundance of the target,

2. calculation of the irradiation time and selection of the irradiation parameters,

3. selection of a research reactor or a cyclotron for the irradiation,

4. cooling of the short-lived contamination isotopes,

5. opening and dissolution of the irradiated target,

6. separation of the target radionuclide from the contaminating radionuclides (if necessary),

7. chemical processing of the target, developing the necessary chemical form,

8. purification of the product (if necessary),

9. adjustment of the radioactive concentration of the product,

10. dispensing and sterilization of the product (the latter for radiopharmaceuticals only).

Of course, not all these steps are necessary for each production technology; the actual details of the procedure are determined by the product being sought.

The dissolution of the target generally requires the use of a strong acid or alka­line. However, such an aggressive chemical medium is often not desired in the final formulation; so to eliminate the acid or alkaline, a frequently used method is dry evaporation of the solution. Dry evaporation and the following dissolution of the

dry residue in an arbitrary liquid composition (e. g., buffer or isotonic solution) are simple, and they allow adjustment of the chemical form of the product as required.