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Fate of Radiopharmaceuticals in the Environment

In: Sewage

Author

Listed:
  • Markus R. Zehringer

Abstract

After World War II, the use of artificially produced radionuclides in medicine began and led to great success in the fight against cancer and other diseases. However, the highly radioactive compounds had to be handled with great care to protect patients and hospital personnel from radiation. The survey of these radionuclides in the environment followed some years later. In Switzerland, double-tracked monitoring programs were started. On the emission side, hospitals and industries handling radiopharmaceuticals had to report their consummation of radionuclides yearly. A monitoring program of their waste waters and solid wastes was also started. On the immission side, the remaining radioactive wastes, which were released to the environment, had to be surveyed. Overall, only a few violations of the limits for radiopharmaceuticals were observed over the last 30 years in Switzerland. Nevertheless, the monitoring of radioactivity in the environment remains an important task as long as radionuclides are used in medicine.

Suggested Citation

  • Markus R. Zehringer, 2018. "Fate of Radiopharmaceuticals in the Environment," Chapters, in: Ivan X Zhu (ed.), Sewage, IntechOpen.
    • Handle: RePEc:ito:pchaps:133184
    DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.74665
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    File URL: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/59595
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    radiopharmaceuticals; y-90; Lu-177; I-131; sewage sludge; sewer sludge; suspended matter;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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