The application of phosphogypsum in agriculture and the radiological impact

J Environ Radioact. 2006;89(2):188-98. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2006.05.005. Epub 2006 Jun 27.

Abstract

Radium-226 in phosphogypsum produced in a phosphate industry, SICNG operating at Thessaloniki, Northern Greece since May 1966, varied from 261 to 688 Bq kg(-1) (mean value 508 Bq kg(-1)). This radionuclide in soil tilled with phosphogypsum used for agricultural purposes varied from 50 to 479 Bq kg(-1) (average 205 Bq kg(-1)), while in the regular soil of cultivated fields it varied from 37 to 54 Bq kg(-1) (average 48 Bq kg(-1)). Radium-226 in rice originated from cultivated fields tilled with phosphogypsum or not varied from 0.36 to 1.98 Bq kg(-1) (average 1.53 Bq kg(-1)) with the higher values observed in samples originated from cultivated fields tilled with phosphogypsum. Radium-226 transfer factors, TF, from soil tilled with phosphogypsum to plants for the case of rice varied from 6.5 x 10(-3) to 2.0 x 10(-2) (geometric mean: 1.1 x 10(-2)). A mean (226)Ra content in rice 1.53 Bq kg(-1) results in a daily intake of (226)Ra by humans in Greece 0.0084 Bq day(-1) leading to an annual effective dose for adults 0.86 microSv y(-1) which is much less in contributing to the average exposure to natural radiation sources (2.4 mSv y(-1)) and particularly to the part due to ingestion (0.29 mSv y(-1)). It is necessary to continuously control (monitoring) (226)Ra in phosphogypsum before any use for agricultural purposes.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Agriculture*
  • Calcium Sulfate / chemistry*
  • Crops, Agricultural / radiation effects*
  • Fertilizers*
  • Greece
  • Humans
  • Oryza / chemistry
  • Oryza / radiation effects
  • Phosphorus / chemistry*
  • Radium / analysis*
  • Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / analysis

Substances

  • Fertilizers
  • Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
  • phosphogypsum
  • Phosphorus
  • Radium
  • Calcium Sulfate