Preliminary studies of an 18-crown-6 ether modified magnetic cation exchange polymer in rapid (90)Sr bioassay

A cation exchange polymer resin embedded with magnetic nanoparticles and modified with crown ether was developed for urinalysis to rapidly monitor levels of (90)Sr exposure in humans who have been involved in a nuclear event. Invention of the resin matrix of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid cross-linked with divinylbenzene incorporated a Sr(2+) chelating agent, di-tert-butyl-cyclohexano-18-crown-6 through surface immobilization using a molecular modifier 1-octanol. The performance of these magnetic cation exchange resin particles was investigated by separating (90)Sr in the presence of (90)Y progeny. Masking agents and precipitants were examined to ascertain that sodium hydroxide at pH 7.5 was capable of selectively removing 89 ± 2% (90)Y before subsequent (90)Sr uptake. Preliminary investigations in rapid urinalysis were successful in isolating 83 ± 2% (90)Sr when pH was optimized to 9, with a sample turnover time <2 h, which is promising for radiological emergencies.