Radioactive Waste from a Nuclear Medicine Department

Abstract

Sampling ef irrigatien water and sludge frem the sewage treatment plant at Sultan Qabens University Hespital a to assess the level ef radioactivity due to radionuelides used in the Nuclear Medicine Department. Radionueliden identification and corresponding activity were determined with a high purity germanium detector. The radionuclide, Iodine-131 with its eight day half-life, was at major concern while attempting to maintain its concentration in the irrigatien water at a level commensurate with World Health Organizatien Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality which specifies that the annual radioation dose from drinking water should not exeeed 0.1 mSv. This was difficult to achieve while adhering to a strict lecal policy of keeping thyroid cancer patients in hospital following treatment with up te 10 GBq of 1-131. The study provided a unique opportunity  to  measure radioactive sewage in a well contained system and provided baseline data for subsequent management decisions.