Phosphate rocks together
with potassium ores and nitrogenous compounds are the main raw materials used
for fertilizers industrial production. As a matter of fact phosphorus,
potassium and nitrogen are essential elements for plants growth.
with potassium ores and nitrogenous compounds are the main raw materials used
for fertilizers industrial production. As a matter of fact phosphorus,
potassium and nitrogen are essential elements for plants growth.
Phosphorus can be found in
nature in a combined state in fluorapatite, hydroxylapatite and chlorapatite
ores, the main constituents of phosphate rocks. Said rocks which can be
subdivided according to their origin into sedimentary, volcanic and biological contain
several trace elements, some of which have natural radioactive isotopes. In
phosphate rocks, activity concentrations of uranium two isotopes and of their
decay products are extremely variable and in some case quite high. For
instance, deposits of volcanic phosphate rocks of Kola peninsula, Russia, show
activity concentrations of uranium. As a rule, sedimentary phosphate rocks, or
phosphorites, originated in a marine environment, are characterised by activity
concentrations of uranium much higher than those of volcanic and biological
rocks. Environmental radioactive pollution and the radiological impacts caused
by a large production plant of complex fertilizers. Raw materials, end products
and wastes (solid wastes and wastewaters) of fertilizer plants contain
radioactive isotopes.
nature in a combined state in fluorapatite, hydroxylapatite and chlorapatite
ores, the main constituents of phosphate rocks. Said rocks which can be
subdivided according to their origin into sedimentary, volcanic and biological contain
several trace elements, some of which have natural radioactive isotopes. In
phosphate rocks, activity concentrations of uranium two isotopes and of their
decay products are extremely variable and in some case quite high. For
instance, deposits of volcanic phosphate rocks of Kola peninsula, Russia, show
activity concentrations of uranium. As a rule, sedimentary phosphate rocks, or
phosphorites, originated in a marine environment, are characterised by activity
concentrations of uranium much higher than those of volcanic and biological
rocks. Environmental radioactive pollution and the radiological impacts caused
by a large production plant of complex fertilizers. Raw materials, end products
and wastes (solid wastes and wastewaters) of fertilizer plants contain
radioactive isotopes.
Fertilizer manufacturing
plant release into the different environmental compartments (water, air, soil) radioactivity
concentrations of fertilizers produced in the industrial plant. From the
environmental point of view, it is important to highlight that fertilizer
plants produces phosphogypsum, one of the main causes of radioactive pollution
due to production of phosphate fertilizers. As a matter of fact, the
radioactive pollution due to wastewaters and solid wastes and particulate matter
are discharged into the atmosphere which appears to be the most important additional
release of natural radioactivity in the area surrounding the plant.
plant release into the different environmental compartments (water, air, soil) radioactivity
concentrations of fertilizers produced in the industrial plant. From the
environmental point of view, it is important to highlight that fertilizer
plants produces phosphogypsum, one of the main causes of radioactive pollution
due to production of phosphate fertilizers. As a matter of fact, the
radioactive pollution due to wastewaters and solid wastes and particulate matter
are discharged into the atmosphere which appears to be the most important additional
release of natural radioactivity in the area surrounding the plant.
However, even when assuming
that radioactive pollution from the production process might be negligible, it
is underlined how chemical fertilizer application for long periods might induce
an increase in natural radioactivity concentration in soils, thus entailing a
possible dose increase to the population around the plant.
that radioactive pollution from the production process might be negligible, it
is underlined how chemical fertilizer application for long periods might induce
an increase in natural radioactivity concentration in soils, thus entailing a
possible dose increase to the population around the plant.
