Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T13:15:57.463Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Medical radionuclide impurities in wastewater

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2012

T. Hay
Affiliation:
Dept. of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics, Oregon State University, 132 Radiation Center, Corvallis, OR 97331
K. Higley
Affiliation:
Dept. of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics, Oregon State University, 132 Radiation Center, Corvallis, OR 97331
D Bytwerk
Affiliation:
Dept. of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics, Oregon State University, 132 Radiation Center, Corvallis, OR 97331
Get access

Abstract

NCRP report No.160 states medical exposures constituted nearly half of the total radiation exposure of the US population from all sources in 2006 [1]. Part of this increase in exposure is due to the rise in nuclear medicine procedures. With this observed growth in medical radionuclide usage there is an increase in the activity being released into wastewater after medical procedures. Often medical radionuclides are not 100% radionuclide pure, but meet a certain standard of purity. Of particular interest are the longer lived impurities associated with these medical radionuclides. The longer lived impurities have a higher chance of reaching the environment. The goal of this study is to identify radionuclide impurities associated with some of the more common radiopharmaceuticals Tc-99m and I-131, locate and quantify the levels of these impurities in municipal wastewater, and make a determination as to the potential long-term impact.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

NCRP Report 160 Ionizing Radiation Exposure of the Population of the United States. (2009).
Fischer, H. Ulbrich, S. Pittauerova, D. Hettwig, B. Medical Radioisotopes in the Environment- Following the Pathway from Patient to River Sediment. J. Environ. Radioact. (2009), doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2009.05.002
DOWDALL, M. SELNÆS, O. GWYNN, J. and LIND, B. On the Use of 99Mo/99mTc Generators in the Analysis of Low Levels of 99Tc in Environmental Samples by Radiochemical Methods.Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 156 (2004) 287–297.
United States Pharmecopia. The National Formulary. USP 31/NF 26th ed. (2008).
Tselishchev, I. Savochkin, Yu. Mel’nik, M. Trepalina, T. Determination of radiochemical and radionuclide purity of a I-131 preparation, Journal of Radiochemistry (2007) Issue: 2
Isee Systems StellaTM Modeling and Simulation Software (2011).
Corvallis Public Works CPW. (2003). Corvallis Wastewater Reclamation Plant. http://www. corvallis.or.us/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=404&Itemid=359 Accsessed 2010.