Radiological hazards of TENORM in precipitated calcium carbonate generated as waste at nitrophosphate fertilizer plant in Pakistan |
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Authors: | Javied Sabiha Akhtar Nasim Tufail M |
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Affiliation: | a Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Nilore 45650, Islamabad, Pakistan b Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan |
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Abstract: | The NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material) in phosphate rock is transferred as TENORM (technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material) to phosphatic fertilizers and to the waste generated by the chemical processes. The waste generated at the NP (nitrophosphate) fertilizer plant at Multan in Pakistan is PCC (precipitated calcium carbonate). Thirty samples of the PCC were collected from the heaps of the waste near the fertilizer plant. Activity concentrations of radionuclides in the waste samples were measured by using the technique of gamma ray spectrometry consisting of coaxial type HPGe (high purity germanium) detector coupled with a PC (personal computer) based MCA (multichannel analyzer) through a spectroscopy amplifier. Activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the waste samples were determined to be 273 ± 23 (173-398), 32 ± 4 (26-39) and 56 ± 5 (46-66) Bq kg−1 respectively. The activity concentration of 226Ra in the PCC waste was found to be higher than that in naturally occurring calcium carbonate (limestone and marble) and in worldwide soil. Radiological hazard was estimated from indoor and outdoor exposure to gamma rays from the PCC. Indoor annual effective dose was higher than 1 m Sv. Potential radiological pollution in the environment from TENORM in the PCC has also been addressed. |
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Keywords: | Phosphate rock TENORM Nitrophosphate fertilizer Precipitated calcium carbonate Gamma spectrometry Radiological hazard |
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