Abstract
The increasing use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) for magnetic resonance imaging is
leading to widespread contamination of freshwater and drinking water systems. Contrary to previous
assumptions that GBCAs are stable throughout the water cycle, they can degrade. The stability of GBCAs
depends largely on their organic ligands, but also on the physicochemical conditions. There is specific
concern regarding UV end-of-pipe water treatments, which may degrade GBCAs. Degradation products
in drinking water supplies can increase the risk of adverse health effects. This is of particular relevance
where the raw water for drinking water production has a higher proportion of recycled wastewater.
GBCAs concentrations in aquatic systems, often referred to as anthropogenic gadolinium, are determined
using a variety of calculation methods. Where anthropogenic gadolinium concentrations are low, the
inconsistent use of these methods results in high discrepancies and high levels of uncertainty. The
current COVID-19 crisis will, in the short-term, drastically decrease the input of GBCAs to freshwater
systems. Temporal variations in anthropogenic gadolinium concentrations in river water can be used to
better understand river-aquifer interactions and groundwater flow velocities. Collecting urine from all
patients following MRI examinations could be a way forward to halt the generally increasing concentrations
of Gd in drinking water systems and recover this technologically critical element.
© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
leading to widespread contamination of freshwater and drinking water systems. Contrary to previous
assumptions that GBCAs are stable throughout the water cycle, they can degrade. The stability of GBCAs
depends largely on their organic ligands, but also on the physicochemical conditions. There is specific
concern regarding UV end-of-pipe water treatments, which may degrade GBCAs. Degradation products
in drinking water supplies can increase the risk of adverse health effects. This is of particular relevance
where the raw water for drinking water production has a higher proportion of recycled wastewater.
GBCAs concentrations in aquatic systems, often referred to as anthropogenic gadolinium, are determined
using a variety of calculation methods. Where anthropogenic gadolinium concentrations are low, the
inconsistent use of these methods results in high discrepancies and high levels of uncertainty. The
current COVID-19 crisis will, in the short-term, drastically decrease the input of GBCAs to freshwater
systems. Temporal variations in anthropogenic gadolinium concentrations in river water can be used to
better understand river-aquifer interactions and groundwater flow velocities. Collecting urine from all
patients following MRI examinations could be a way forward to halt the generally increasing concentrations
of Gd in drinking water systems and recover this technologically critical element.
© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 115966 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Water Research |
Volume | 182 |
Early online date | 29 May 2020 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Sept 2020 |
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 105302 Hydrochemistry
- 105906 Environmental geosciences
Keywords
- Anthropogenic gadolinium
- Gadolinium-based contrast agents
- Gadolinium anomaly
- Drinking water
- Micropollutants
- COVID-19
- HOSPITAL EFFLUENTS
- RHINE RIVER
- RIVER WATERS
- IMAGING CONTRAST AGENTS
- SURFACE-WATER
- TAP WATER
- GD-DTPA
- EMERGING CONTAMINANTS
- WASTE-WATER
- RARE-EARTH-ELEMENTS
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Anthropogenic gadolinium in freshwater and drinking water systems'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Press/Media
-
Wie man die Verschmutzung des Trinkwassers mit MRT-Kontrastmitteln verhindert
Thilo Hofmann & Robert Martin Brünjes
29/06/20 → 1/07/20
6 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
Kontrastmittel im Flusslauf – eine vermeidbare Verschmutzung
Thilo Hofmann & Robert Martin Brünjes
1/07/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research