Scientists Extract Atom Materials Fighting Cancer from Rare Earth Minerals

Researchers from South China University have extracted nuclide materials containing a specific number of subatomic protons and neutrons from rare earth minerals. They obtained high-purity lead-212 and bismuth-212 nuclide materials, which they believe could be effective in Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT) for various cancer types, including breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancers. The researchers developed an effective and low-cost method to separate these atom species from halide environments, utilizing a 'silica-supported anion resin.' They highlighted that this method provides 6 times faster adsorption than traditional resins, with significant implications for isolating short-lived nuclides. The team emphasized the importance of this development in achieving self-sufficiency in the production of critical medical nuclides in China. They also mentioned their ongoing work on the separation of radium-228, thorium-228, and radium-224 nuclides.