Routine quality control of recycled target [18O]water by capillary electrophoresis and gas chromatography

Recycling of [O-18]water for [F-18]fluoride production can be accomplished with reliable results. We have developed sensitive, robust, and rapid analyses of impurities in [O-18]water. Anions were quantitated by capillary electrophoresis and organic residuals were quantitated by gas chromatography using methods with excellent reproducibility and linearity. Kryptofix 222 (K-222) was quantitated by a sensitive LC-MS-MS technique. Isotopic composition was determined by GC-MS with satisfactory accuracy and precision. These methods were employed to evaluate recovered [O-18]water purified by a novel electrolysis method. 2-[F-18]FDG yields using purified [O-18]water with very low levels of impurities are indistinguishable from newly purchased [O-18]water. High (> 300 ppm) carbonate concentration reduces the fluoride trapping efficiency of QMA. The analyses of anions, organics, and isotopic enrichment were applied routinely for quality control of [O-18]water to predict a satisfactory outcome of 2-[F-18]FDG production. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.