Radionuclide separation using microfluidics

Liquid-liquid extraction is a very effective way to separate radioactive isotopes intended for medical applications. But up to now it is not commonly used. The big drawback of these extraction systems is the large size of the installation, determined, as a rule, by the extractor size; need for using heavy protection in operation, high skill required of the staff and lack of convenient automated systems. All of these make it not applicable for the daily use in hospitals. 

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The application of microfluidic devices in this area would take away these drawbacks by miniaturising the extraction system and making them easy to automate. This project entails the design and making of microfluidic chips and the study of liquid-liquid extraction behaviour of radioactive isotopes on these chips. The final goal will be an automated system for the purification of medical applied isotopes.