Abstract: A system for extracting sodium, particularly radioactive .sup.22 Na, from aluminum utilizes a monel exhaust system for exhausting sodium vapor emitted from a molten aluminum target, in a draft of helium gas. The aluminum target is heated until it is melted in a graphite support cup. The graphite support does not react with the sodium. Moreover, the graphite is understood to be permeable to the helium gas, its porosity being believed to provide the significant advantage that the graphite holder will not absorb much of the sodium vapor. The use of graphite avoids a disadvantageous monel-aluminum reaction whereby an alloy from which sodium cannot be distilled is formed. The resulting sodium vapor is precipitated in a monel exhaust tube which is subjected to temperature control. Sodium can be rinsed from the monel exhaust tube with water.