Emerging Radionuclides - Production, Separation, Characterization, and Application

Currently, there is a resurgence of interest in nuclear science, with advances being made in nuclear energy, medicine, material science and other sectors. New isotopes are emerging to address challenges across the nuclear application space, with a few that are garnering special attention for their unique properties. Complementarily, breakthroughs in production routes and novel applications of established isotopes are also revitalizing this field. Developing characterization techniques enables exciting discoveries in both “new” and “old” isotope science that were formerly considered impossible.

The aim of this Research Topic is to provide centralized examples of new advances in radioisotope science and engineering.
Therefore, the collection seeks contributions that encompass all aspects that are necessary for production, separation, characterization, and application of radionuclides. Particularly, submitted works should highlight current, exciting discoveries and outstanding challenges.

These include emerging applications in nuclear science, as well as new methods for employing or studying more established nuclides. Submissions should address challenges in one or more of these sub-areas. Ideally, these works will focus on isotopes that are fairly new in nuclear science and engineering, but studies on new applications and characterization approaches of “old” isotopes are also welcomed. Some examples of relevant topics might include: radiopharmaceuticals, radiotherapy, technical applications, fundamental investigations of radionuclides and their electronic structure, or applications in non-radiological systems, among others.

All submission types are welcomed, but original research articles, brief research reports, and mini-/ review articles are especially encouraged. The themes of this collection might include (but are not limited to):

• Radionuclide production
-Cyclotron production
-Target chemistry
-Legacy waste with new perspectives
-Reactor production
-Other production methods (e.g., photonuclear)
• Radiochemical generators
-Large scale
-Automation of small scale generators
-In vivo generators
• Advances in Separations
-Aspects of separations for medical and technical isotopes
-Novel resins for radiochemical separations (e.g., ionic liquid impregnated resins, functionalized resins)
-Reducing occupational radiation exposure
-Good Manufacturing Practice approaches
• Characterization of radionuclides (new findings or techniques)
-Nuclear data measurements
-Chemistry
-Bonding properties
-Electronic structure
-Magnetic aspects
-Stability
• New uses of isotopes in medicine
-Targeted alpha therapy
-Auger electron therapy
-Theranostics
• Other applications of radionuclides
-Technical applications
-Tracer development (e.g., biology, material science)
• New uses for ionizing radiation
-Radiation chemistry
-Novel detector materials
-Materials processing
• Environmental aspects of radionuclides
-Radionuclide migration
-Mechanistic insights
-Remediation

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Radionuclide Production, Radionuclide Separation, Radionuclide Characterization, Applications of Radionuclides, Cyclotron, Reactor, Production methods, Radiochemistry

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.