Processes for producing germanium-68 from a gallium target body are disclosed. In some embodiments, germanium-68 and gallium are precipitated to remove metal impurities. Germanium-68 and gallium are re-dissolved and loaded onto an ion exchange column to separate germanium-68 from gallium.

Target assembly for an isotope production system. The target assembly includes a target body having a production chamber and a beam cavity that is adjacent to the production chamber. The production chamber is configured to hold a target material. The beam cavity opens to an exterior of the target body and is configured to receive a particle beam that is incident on the production chamber. The target assembly also includes a target sheet positioned to separate the beam cavity and the production chamber. The target sheet has a side that is exposed to the production chamber such that the target sheet is in contact with the target material during isotope production. The target sheet includes graphene.

A process for the preparation of a carrier-free Ga-68 solution from an irradiated Zn target. systems comprising components used in the process, and compositions comprising Ga-68 prepared by the process. Purification of Ga-68 is carried out by feeding an irradiation target solution comprising Zn-68, Ga-68 and solid target assembly metals into a system comprising three chromatography columns in succession.

Methods of producing and isolating .sup.68Ga, .sup.89Zr, .sup.64Cu, .sup.63Zn, .sup.86Y, .sup.61Cu, .sup.99mTc, .sup.45Ti, .sup.13N, .sup.52Mn, or .sup.44Sc and solution targets for use in the methods are disclosed. The methods of producing .sup.68Ga, .sup.89Zr, .sup.64Cu, .sup.63Zn, .sup.86Y, .sup.61Cu, .sup.99mTc, .sup.45Ti, .sup.13N, .sup.52Mn, or .sup.44Sc include irradiating a closed target system with a proton beam. The closed target system can include a solution target. The methods of producing isolated .sup.68Ga, .sup.89Zr, .sup.64Cu, .sup.63Zn, .sup.86Y, .sup.61Cu, .sup.99mTc, .sup.45Ti, .sup.52Mn, or .sup.44Sc further include isolating .sup.68Ga, .sup.89Zr, .sup.64Cu, .sup.63Zn, .sup.86Y, .sup.61Cu, .sup.99mTc, .sup.45Ti, .sup.52Mn, or .sup.44Sc by ion exchange chromatography. An example solution target includes a target body including a target cavity for receiving the target material; a housing defining a passageway for directing a particle beam at the target cavity; a target window for covering an opening of the target cavity; and a coolant gas flow path disposed in the passageway upstream of the target window.

A process for the preparation of a carrier-free Ga-68 solution from an irradiated Zn target, systems comprising components used in the process, and compositions comprising Ga-68 prepared by the process. Purification of Ga-68 is carried out by feeding an irradiation target solution comprising Zn-68, Ga-68 and solid target assembly metals into a system comprising three chromatography columns in succession.