This review summarizes recent progress and developments as well as the most important pitfalls in targeted alpha-particle therapy, covering single alpha-particle emitters as well as in vivo alpha-particle generators. It discusses the production of radionuclides like ²¹¹At, ²²³Ra, ²²⁵Ac/²¹³Bi, labelling and delivery employing various targeting vectors (small molecules, chelators for alpha-emitting nuclides and their biomolecular targets as well as nanocarriers), general radiopharmaceutical issues, preclinical studies, and clinical trials including the possibilities of therapy prognosis and follow-up imaging. Special attention is given to the nuclear recoil effect and its impacts on the possible use of alpha emitters for cancer treatment, proper dose estimation, and labelling chemistry. The most recent and important achievements in the development of alpha emitters carrying vectors for preclinical and clinical use are highlighted along with an outlook for future developments.

A review of solid-phase extractants for radionuclide preconcentration and separation is presented. Examples of solid-phase extractants prepared by impregnation of various supports with compounds used in liquid extraction are considered. The possibilities of using carbon nanotubes and ionic liquids for preparing new solid-phase extractants are discussed. Experimental data on sorption recovery of actinides, europium, and palladium from nitric acid solutions with solid-phase extractants prepared by impregnation of carbon nanotubes and polymeric supports with ionic liquids and ligands are presented.

That phosphonium-type ionic liquids (ILs) can be used for preparation of novel solid-phase extractants has been shown. The conditions of IL immobilization on the different matrices (polyacrilonitrile, Amberlite XAD-7, hyper cross-linked polystyrene, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes) were determined. The solid-phase extraction of Pt(IV) from 1 - 2 M HCl and Pu(IV) from 3 M HNO3 has been investigated. The possibility of retaining ligands on the solid phases by means of ILs to prepare the complexing solid-phase extractants has been demonstrated.

Nowadays much attention is being paid to the determination of trace amounts of noble metals in geological, industrial, biological and environmental samples. The most promising techniques, such as inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) are characterized by high sensitivity. However, the accurate determination of trace noble metals has been limited by numerous interferences generated from the presence of matrix elements. To decrease, or eliminate, these interferences, the sorption preconcentration of noble metals is often used prior to their instrumental detection. A great number of hyphenated methods of noble metal determination using sorption preconcentration have been developed. This review describes the basic types of available sorbents, preconcentration procedures and preparations of the sorbent to the subsequent determination of noble metals. The specific features of instrumental techniques and examples of ETAAS, FAAS, ICP-AES, ICP-MS determinations after the sorption preconcentration of noble metals are considered. The references cited here were selected mostly from the period 1996 - 2006.

Combined methods for the determination of noble metals with the use of sorption preconcentration with complexing, anion-exchange, and other sorbents are reviewed. Characteristics of sorbents, techniques of sorption preconcentration, and techniques for the preparation of a concentrate for determination are considered. Features of instrumental methods for the determination of noble metals in the analysis of different materials are discussed. Examples of the use of sorption preconcentration in combined methods for the determination of noble metals are given from publications between 1996–2005.