Assessment of phosphate fertilizers ingredients and their impact on final products

Heavy metals contents in raw materials used in phosphate ferthizer industry as well as phosphate products were determined. The samples were collected from abu-zabal phosphate factory in ElQalyobia governorate, Egypt. The samples include: rock phosphate gypsum, limestone, sulfur (as raw materials), sulfuric and phosphoric acids, mono phosphate (soft and granulate) and triple phosphate (as final products). The aim of this study was to determine the elemental pattern in phosphate ingrdient materials as well as the fertilizers produced. The results revealed that the main source of heavy metals in the produced phospate fertilizer is mainly due to the impurities in the long run due to the high application rate of phosphate fertilizer. Senitive heavy metals analytical technique should be employed to determine the heavy metals in the manufactured ingredients to minimize the use of contaminated ones in phosphate industry