Natural Radionuclides Quantification and Radiation Hazard Evaluation of Phosphate Fertilizers Industry: A Case Study

摘要

The assessment of the primordial radioactivity levels and associated risks to the manufacturing process of the single super phosphate fertilizer (SSPF) has been performed. Samples from different stages were collected from hot spots including ores inputs storages and production of phosphate fertilizer factory at Kom-Oshim Fayoum, Egypt. According to the gamma spectrometric analysis, Ra-226 values ranged from 511 +/- 45 to 882 +/- 65 Bq kg(-1), U-238 values ranged from 500 +/- 60 to 919 +/- 45 Bq kg(-1), Th-232 values ranged from 3.9 +/- 0.4 to 8.1 +/- 0.3 Bq kg(-1), and K-40 values ranged from 5.4 +/- 0.7 to 210 +/- 1.9 Bq kg(-1). Radiation indices for these samples were calculated and found to be higher than the world average values. The ambient dose rates of the factory site were monitored and found to vary from 0.06 to 0.11 (mu Sv/h).