Characterization of QMA Resins by Gamma Spectrometry and Waste Management at the Radiopharmaceutical Research and Production Facility (UPPR/CDTN)

In nuclear medicine, approximately 95% of radiopharmaceuticals are used for diagnostic purposes. Radiopharmaceutical Research and Production Facility (UPPR), located at the Nuclear Technology Development Center (CDTN) in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, is the only radiopharmaceutical production facility in the state. Since 2008, UPPR has supplied the commercial production of fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG). With the increasing demand for nuclear medicine services, production expanded to include other radiopharmaceuticals, such as Na¹⁸F, ¹⁸F-choline, and ¹⁸F-fluoroestradiol (FES). Currently, UPPR supplies these radiopharmaceuticals not only to the state of Minas Gerais but also to other states. Consequently, the increased diversity and production volume of radiopharmaceuticals result in a higher potential for radioactive waste generation. These wastes are segregated and stored to allow radioactive decay of the contained nuclides. Proper radioactive waste management requires accurate material characterization. Since most radionuclides generated at this facility are gamma emitters, characterization is performed using a High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector, which allows the identification and quantification of radionuclides through their characteristic energy peaks. This detection must occur accurately, for this to occur, calibration standards with energies and activities already known are used. This study evaluated the chain of radioactive waste from the UPPR, characterized the nuclides found in the samples of QMA's (quaternary ammonium ion exchange resin) resins through the HPGe detector and the HyperLab software. The radionuclides found were: ⁷ Be, ⁴⁸ V, ⁵¹ Cr, ⁵² Mn, ⁵⁵ Co, ⁵⁶ Co, ⁵⁷ Co, ⁵⁷ Ni, ⁵⁸ Co, ⁶⁵ Zn, ⁹⁵ Tc, ^95m Tc, ⁹⁶ Nb, ⁹⁶ Tc, ¹⁸¹ Re, ¹⁸² Re, ¹⁸³ Re, ¹⁸⁴ Re and ^184m Re. Radionuclide ⁵⁷ Co (half-life 271d) stood out, becoming the most critical radionuclide. The analyzed QMA were classified as class 2 radioactive waste according to the CNEN standard.