High-Level Radioactive Wastes from 18F and 11C Isotopes Production
Publication: Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 25, Issue 2
Abstract
The production and use of radioactive tracers for positron emission tomography (PET) diagnostics in Poland generates various kinds of solid radioactive waste, the disposal of which requires special procedures. This study analyzes the replaceable elements of a medical cyclotron (i.e., a Havarfilm used for 18F- and 11C-label production). Nine samples were taken from the cyclotron between 2014 and 2016. In all of them, the quality and quantity of radioactive isotopes were analyzed. All samples of the Havar window were classified as high-activity radioactive waste, and after a time of cooling to reach medium level, a radioactive waste protocol was proposed. Storage of the waste materials in a selected room (e.g., in lead shields in a bunker at a medical center) enabled reduction of transportation and transfer costs to a radioactive waste disposal plant.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Ameyaw, F., M. Nyarku, J. Boffie, J. K. Gbadago, E. Boafo, and E. T. Glover. 2016. “Characterization of radioisotope and shield content of stored disused sealed radioactive sources in Ghana.” J. Hazard. Toxic Radioact. Waste 20 (3): 05016001. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HZ.2153-5515.0000319.
Chavesa, J. C., M. J. Vargas, and M. R. Sánchez. 2016. “Measurementof activation products generated in the [18F]FDG production bya 9.6 MeV cyclotron.” Radiat. Phys. Chem. 126: 32–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2016.05.006.
Długosz-Lisiecka, M., T. Jakubowska, and M. Zbrojewska. 2019. “Formation of 107Cd radionuclide impurities during 18F production.” Appl. Radiat. Isot. 147: 48–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2019.02.007.
Duan, H., Q. Huang, Q. Wang, B. Zhou, and J. Li. 2008. “Hazardous waste generation and management in China: A review.” J. Hazard. Mater. 158 (2–3): 221–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.01.106.
Elghawi, U., and H. Shames. 2016. “Management of radioactive waste in Libya: Case study.” J. Hazard. Toxic Radioact. Waste 20 (3): 04016003. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HZ.2153-5515.0000314.
Espartero, A. G., G. Pina, and J. A. Suarez. 1999. “Development and application of a radioactivity characterization system for low-level radioactive waste.” Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 422 (1–3): 790–794. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-9002(98)00998-X.
Gidarakos, E., M. Petrantonaki, K. Anastasiadou, and K. W. Schramm. 2009. “Characterization and hazard evaluation of bottom ash produced from incinerated hospital waste.” J. Hazard. Mater. 172 (2–3): 935–942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.07.080.
IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). 2012. Cyclotron produced radionuclides: Operation and maintenance of Gas and liquid targets. IAEA Radioisotopes and Radiopharmaceuticals Series No. 4. Vienna, Austria: IAEA.
Jakubowska, T., and M. Długosz-Lisiecka. 2020. “Estimation of effective dose using two ICRP criteria, applied to radiation protection of personnel in an unshielded PET cyclotron facility.” Radiat. Phys. Chem. 171: 108688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2020.108688.
Jeong, J., M. H. Baik, M. J. Kang, H.-J. Ahn, D.-S. Hwang, D. S. Hong, Y.-H. Jeong, and K. Kim. 2016. “Radiological safety assessment of transporting radioactive wastes to the gyeongju disposal facility in Korea.” Nucl. Eng. Technol. 48 (6): 1368–1375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2016.05.003.
Kim, M., H. G. Kim, S. Kim, J.-H. Yoon, J. Y. Sung, J. S. Jin, M.-H. Lee, C.-W. Kim, J. Heo, and K.-S. Hong. 2020. “Leaching behaviors and mechanisms of vitrified forms for the low-level radioactive solid wastes.” J. Hazard. Mater. 384: 121296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121296.
Kougemitrou, I., A. Godelitsas, C. Tsabaris, V. Stathopoulos, A. Papandreou, P. Gamaletsos, G. Economou, and D. Papadopoulos. 2011. “Characterisation and management of ash produced in the hospital waste incinerator of Athens, Greece.” J. Hazard. Mater. 187 (1–3): 421–432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.01.045.
Lowenthal, M. D. 1998. “Waste-acceptance criteria and risk-based thinking for radioactive-waste classification.” Waste Manage. (Oxford) 18 (4): 249–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0956-053X(98)00027-0.
Major, B. 2009. “PET cyclotron design for decommissioning and waste inventory reduction.” In Proc., 2009 12th Int. Conf. on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management, 19–24. New York, NY: The American Sociaty of Mechanical Engineers.
Mochizuki, S., N. Ishigure, Y. Ogata, and T. Kobayashi. 2013. “Analysis of induced radionuclides in replacement parts and liquid wastes in a medical cyclotron solely used for production of 18F for [18F]FDG.” Appl. Radiat. Isot. 74: 137–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2013.01.004.
National Atomic Low. 2019. “Annex II.” National atomic energy agency. J. Low 1792: 284, 322. https://www.paa.gov.pl/.
Sivakumar Babu, G. L. 2017. “Special issue on hazardous nuclear waste disposal.” J. Hazard. Toxic Radioact. Waste 21 (1): D2016001. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HZ.2153-5515.0000344.
Stimson, D. H. R., A. J. Pringle, D. Maillet, A. R. King, S. T. Nevin, T. K. Venkatachalam, D. C. Reutens, and R. Bhalla. 2016. “Management of radioactive waste gases from PET radiopharmaceutical synthesis using cost effective capture systems integrated with a cyclotron safety system.” J. Radiol. Prot. 36 (3): 504–517. https://doi.org/10.1088/0952-4746/36/3/504.
Stothers, L. A., X. Hou, M. Vuckovic, K. Buckley, F. Bénard, P. Schaffer, and A. Celler. 2019. “Analysis of radioactive waste generated during the cyclotron production of 99mTc.” Phys. Med. Biol. 64 (5): 055008. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/ab00bc.
Wenrong, Z., L. Hanlin, and Y. Weixiang. 1993. “Measurement of cross sections by bombarding Fe with protons up to 19 MeV.” Chin. J. Nucl. Phys. 15 (4): 337–340.
Woolridgea, A. C., P. S. Phillips, and A. R. Denman. 2008. “Developing a methodology for the systematic analysis of radioactive healthcare waste generation in an acute hospital in the UK.” Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 52 (10): 1198–1208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2008.06.010.
Xie, R., W. Li, J. Li, B. Wu, and J. Yi. 2009. “Emissions investigation for a novel medical waste incinerator.” J. Hazard. Mater. 166 (1): 365–371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.11.029.
Zamparas, M., V. C. Kapsalis, G. L. Kyriakopoulos, K. G. Aravossis, A. E. Kanteraki, A. Vantarakis, and I. K. Kalavrouziotis. 2019. “Medical waste management and environmental assessment in the Rio university hospital, western Greece.” Sustainable Chem. Pharm. 13: 100163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2019.100163.
Zhang, S., X. Shu, S. Chen, H. Yang, C. Hou, X. Mao, F. Chi, M. Song, and X. Lu. 2017. “Rapid immobilization of simulated radioactive soil waste by microwave sintering.” J. Hazard. Mater. 337: 20–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.05.003.
Zhao, L., F.-S. Zhang, and Z. Jingxin. 2008. “Chemical properties of rare earth elements in typical medical waste incinerator ashes in China.” J. Hazard. Mater. 158 (2–3): 465–470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.01.091.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 25 • Issue 2 • April 2021
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 17, 2020
Accepted: Sep 17, 2020
Published online: Nov 23, 2020
Published in print: Apr 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Apr 23, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.