Thin layer chromatography for astatine and iodine in solutions prepared by dry distillation

The astatine radionuclides 208,209,210,211At and the iodine radionuclides 120,121,123I were simultaneously produced by 7Li beam irradiation of a stack of lead and tin targets. The astatine and the iodine radionuclides each were separated from the irradiated target with a dry distillation method. No-carrier-added astatine and iodine solutions were prepared using ethanol or water as a solvent. Astatine in the aqueous solution was reacted with an oxidizing or a reducing agent. Separation of the astatine and the iodine ions in the solutions was conducted by thin layer chromatography on silica gel with an ethanol/water solution. Astatine was separated and identified as anions of At−, AtO3− and AtO4−, while iodine was I−, compared with the standard iodine species.