Natural radioactivity levels in phosphate fertilizer and its environmental implications in assuit governorate, upper Egypt

A. El-Taher, S. Makhluf

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

The contents of natural radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) were measured in phosphate and super phosphate used and product in Assuit fertilizer factory in upper Egypt by using low level gamma spectrometry. Phosphate is the main material used for the fertilizers. The phosphate samples were collected from El-Sebayia, Abo Tartour and El-Shaghab. The results are discussed and compared with the levels in phosphate rocks from different countries. The average values obtained for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activity concentration in different types of phosphate are lower than the corresponding global values reported in UNSCAIR publications. The obtained results show that the averages of radiation hazard parameters for the phosphate and super phosphate are lower than the acceptable level 370 Bq.kg-1 for radium equivalent Raeq, 1 for level index Ir, the external hazard index Hex ≤ 1 and 59 (nGy.h-1) for absorbed dose rate.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)697-702
Number of pages6
JournalIndian Journal of Pure and Applied Physics
Volume48
Issue number10
StatePublished - Oct 2010
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Fertilizer
  • Natural radioactivity
  • Phosphate
  • Radiation hazards

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Natural radioactivity levels in phosphate fertilizer and its environmental implications in assuit governorate, upper Egypt'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this