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131I and 99mTc in Effluents from a Nuclear Medicine Facility and Associated Sewage Treatment Unit

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Abstract

The release of liquid effluents containing radionuclides from radioactive plants in urban areas has been the subject of discussions related to the environmental issue. This study presents the analysis of the activity concentrations (AC) of 131I and 99mTc in sewage samples collected in a nuclear medicine facility (NMF), associated with an university hospital situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The analyzes and measurements by gamma spectrometry of the collected sewage samples were performed, whose the estimated values (EV) for AC obtained for 131I in July (8.78 × 103 Bq m-3) and September 2016 (9.80 × 103 Bq m-3) and in February 2017 (1.14 × 104 Bq m-3) were lower than the exemption level (EL = 1.90 × 104 Bq m-3). For 99mTc, the EV for AC obtained from August (4.77 × 102 Bq m-3 and 2.96 × 104 Bq m-3) to September 2017 (2.18 × 103 Bq m-3) were lower than the EL (1.90 × 109 Bq m-3). From an environmental point of view, the presence of 131I in the sewage treatment unit (STU), even if below the legal release limit, points out the greater importance of this radionuclide, as it requires special precautions in its adequate storage for the radioactive decay in the NMF and the dilution effect to reduce its AC minimizing the environmental impact after the effluent release to the environment. The presence of 131I in the STU was not expected pointing to the need and evaluation of the waste management system (WMS) of the NMF.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial support of the Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Research in the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and to Alexandre Rodrigues (COTAR-X/UFRJ), José Marques, Jardel Thalhofer, Leandro Barbosa, Ricardo Garcêz, Alessandro Domingues, and Rogério Filgueiras (LAASC/PEN/COPPE/UFRJ) for the logistic cooperation to carry out this study.

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Funding

The two funding regardings who supported the development of this study were: Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Research in the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Engenharia Nuclear, COPPE/UFRJ, Avenida Horácio de Macedo, 2030, Bloco I, Sala I-242, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-914, Brazil

    Alessander Sá do Carmo, Wagner Pereira & Ademir Xavier da Silva

  2. Instituto Nacional de Câncer – INCa/MS, Praça Cruz Vermelha, 23, Centro, CEP, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20230-130, Brazil

    Elizabeth Aparecida Vianello & Evangelina Marcia Lima de Macêdo

  3. Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto – HUPE/UERJ, Boulevard Vinte e Oito de Setembro, 77, Vila Isabel, CEP, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20511-030, Brazil

    Evangelina Marcia Lima de Macêdo

  4. Comissão de Assessoramento e Reitoria para Assuntos de Radiações Ionizantes – COTAR-X/UFRJ, Rua Professor Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, 255, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 21941-913, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Lucas Gomes Padilha Filho & Sérgio Augusto Lopes de Souza

  5. Departamento de Radiologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Professor Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, 255, Cidade Universitária, CEP: 21941-913, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Sérgio Augusto Lopes de Souza

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  1. Alessander Sá do Carmo
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  2. Elizabeth Aparecida Vianello
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  3. Wagner Pereira
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  4. Evangelina Marcia Lima de Macêdo
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  5. Lucas Gomes Padilha Filho
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  6. Sérgio Augusto Lopes de Souza
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  7. Ademir Xavier da Silva
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Correspondence to Alessander Sá do Carmo.

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do Carmo, A.S., Vianello, E.A., Pereira, W. et al. 131I and 99mTc in Effluents from a Nuclear Medicine Facility and Associated Sewage Treatment Unit. Water Air Soil Pollut 232, 130 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05076-5

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