Featured Application: Silver nanoparticle-based hybrid nanomaterials can be applied for the monitoring, adsorption, separation, and photocatalytic treatment of hospital wastewater, with a focus on contamination by rare earth elements and radiopharmaceutical residues, contributing to the development of advanced technologies for nuclear medicine wastewater management and environmental protection. Hospital wastewater has begun to act as an important source of emerging contaminants, including rare earth elements (REEs), mostly lanthanides, and radiopharmaceutical residues originating from diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures. The increasing use of gadolinium-based contrast agents, lutetium-containing therapeutics, technetium-99m tracers, iodine-131, yttrium-90, and gallium-68 radiopharmaceuticals has raised growing concerns regarding the release of radioactive and metal-containing compounds into aquatic environments. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are often inefficient in removing these contaminants because of their high chemical stability, low environmental concentrations, and complex aqueous speciation. In this context, hybrid nanomaterials containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted increasing interest for both monitoring and remediation applications. AgNP-based systems exhibit unique plasmonic, catalytic, antimicrobial, and sensing properties that can be exploited in adsorption, photocatalysis, membrane filtration, electrochemical detection, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). This review critically analyzes recent advances in hospital wastewater treatment and how hybrid nanomaterials containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are emerging. The review places a particular focus on contamination by REEs and radiopharmaceuticals residues, which to date, as far as we know, remains a challenging and understudied aspect, as reflected by limited publications.
Ovis, A., De Giorgio, I.M., Lemaire, S., Iucci, G., Battocchio, C., Venditti, I. (2026). Silver Nanoparticle-Based Hybrid Nanomaterials for Monitoring and Treatment of Hospital Wastewater: Focus on Rare Earth Elements and Radiopharmaceutical Residues from Nuclear Medicine Department. APPLIED SCIENCES, 16(15), 7720 [10.3390/app16157720].
Silver Nanoparticle-Based Hybrid Nanomaterials for Monitoring and Treatment of Hospital Wastewater: Focus on Rare Earth Elements and Radiopharmaceutical Residues from Nuclear Medicine Department
Ovis A.;De Giorgio I. M.;Lemaire S.;Iucci G.;Battocchio C.;Venditti I.
2026-01-01
Abstract
Featured Application: Silver nanoparticle-based hybrid nanomaterials can be applied for the monitoring, adsorption, separation, and photocatalytic treatment of hospital wastewater, with a focus on contamination by rare earth elements and radiopharmaceutical residues, contributing to the development of advanced technologies for nuclear medicine wastewater management and environmental protection. Hospital wastewater has begun to act as an important source of emerging contaminants, including rare earth elements (REEs), mostly lanthanides, and radiopharmaceutical residues originating from diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures. The increasing use of gadolinium-based contrast agents, lutetium-containing therapeutics, technetium-99m tracers, iodine-131, yttrium-90, and gallium-68 radiopharmaceuticals has raised growing concerns regarding the release of radioactive and metal-containing compounds into aquatic environments. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are often inefficient in removing these contaminants because of their high chemical stability, low environmental concentrations, and complex aqueous speciation. In this context, hybrid nanomaterials containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted increasing interest for both monitoring and remediation applications. AgNP-based systems exhibit unique plasmonic, catalytic, antimicrobial, and sensing properties that can be exploited in adsorption, photocatalysis, membrane filtration, electrochemical detection, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). This review critically analyzes recent advances in hospital wastewater treatment and how hybrid nanomaterials containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are emerging. The review places a particular focus on contamination by REEs and radiopharmaceuticals residues, which to date, as far as we know, remains a challenging and understudied aspect, as reflected by limited publications.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
