Medically-derived radionuclides levels in seven heterogeneous urban wastewater treatment plants: The role of operating conditions and catchment area.

In nuclear medicine radionuclides are administered to patients both for diagnosis or treatment. Subsequently, the excreta from patients, enriched in radionuclides, enter the sewerage networks and reach wastewater treatment plants (TPs). Characterization of inflow wastewaters, sewage effluents and sewage sludges in the seven different urban WWTPs in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (BMA) has been done and I, Tc, In, Ga and I concentrations were determined by gamma-spectroscopy.