Since the discovery of technetium (in 1937, by Perrier and Segre), technetium-99 and technetium-99m have become most familiar in the specialised literature, the behaviour of the former being of concern regarding its health impact, the latter having been used intensively in medical tests for many years. The knowledge of the characteristics and behaviour of this element in nature is currently increasing exponentially. It has become clear, however, that there is still a serious shortage of information needed to assess properly its burden and impact on man and his environment. Technetium may indeed be released from nuclear installations or as a waste product from medical applications. It is generally considered to be highly mobile as the anion TcOi, but it is also suspected to be readily reduced in soils and metabolised in living beings into lower oxidation states. The seminar was planned to analyse thoroughly the experimental results obtained up to now and to make recommendations of specific issues requiring further research. This book presents the papers of the different sessions in the order of presentation, and the conclusions drawn by three discussion groups which dealt separately with: problems of sources and distribution of man-made technetium and its radiological consequences; the chemical behaviour of technetium in different ecosystems; biochemical reactions and binding with macromolecules in various life systems. vi Preface The editors, together with the Programme Committee of the Seminar, wish to express their gratitude to the chairmen of the different sessions for their summary of the group discussions.

Dieses einzigartige Handbuch gibt eine umfassende Übersicht über den aktuellen Stand der Technetium-Chemie und die Anwendung von Technetium in der Radiopharmazie. Klar und präzise dargestellt werden alle wichtigen Aspekte wie · natürliches und künstlich verursachtes Vorkommen in der Umwelt, · Isotope und Isomere, · Analytische Chemie und Biochemie, · thermodynamische Daten, Stabilität und Reaktivität, · intermetallische und binäre Verbindungen, und vor allem · Komplexchemie sowie · radiopharmazeutischer Einsatz. Dieses herausragende Werk erlaubt sowohl Experten als auch Laien mit naturwissenschaftlicher Bildung einen schnellen Zugang zu wichtiger Information. Deshalb ist das Handbuch genauso unverzichtbar für Forscher an Universitäten und Instituten, in der Nuklearmedizin und radiopharmazeutischen Industrie wie für wissenschaftliche Berater in Regierungen und Umweltverbänden.