title: Importance of anthropogenic metals in hospital and urban wastewater: its significance for the environment.
abstract: Thirty-four metals were analyzed by ICP-MS. Among these elements, anthropogenic silver, gadolinium and platinum, were representative markers of medical activities in hospital and urban wastewater. On working days, median hospital wastewater concentrations for anthropogenic silver, gadolinium, and platinum were approximately three, 13 and 27 times higher respectively than the Municipal wastewater. A drastic reduction of their emission was observed during non-working days (minus 94 % for gadolinium and 87 % for platinum). A large percentage of these metals are not trapped in the Treatment Plant, i.e. 88 % for gadolinium and 69 % for platinum. More than 4 kg and 350 g for gadolinium and platinum are respectively discharged per year in the River Seine. Therefore, it is imperative to eliminate these elements in the Plant.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacocinétique et de Toxicologie Cliniques, Groupe Hospitalier du Havre, BP 24, 76083 Le Havre, France. Jean-pierre.goulle@ch-havre.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Goullé
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saussereau
authors.forename: Loïc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mahieu
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cellier
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spiroux
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guerbet
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005602:France; D006761:Hospitals; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical