Application of Radioanalytical Chemistry Techniques in Radioecological Studies of Main Naturally Occurring Radionuclides in the Area of Gela Phosphate Industry (Italy)

Gela has been identified by the regional legislation as one of the four areas at high risk of environmental crisis in Sicily, where some large industrial complexes, such as phosphate and petrochemical industries, were located. Although the Phosphate Industry has stopped production since 1990s, the Petrochemical Industries are still operating. For the purpose of protecting environment and human health, the local government has launched some projects of "national interest for remediation" in the site of Gela Phosphate Industry, including studies on (a) characterization, classification and inventory evaluation of organic and inorganic compound pollutants in the industry area and its environment, (b) radioecological investigation, and (c) environmental quality control and risk assessment. The National Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety and Radioprotection (ISIN) participated in the projects. As a part of the projects, some achievements have been described in the paper, including: (1) development of the suitable radioanalytical chemistry techniques used for determination of ²¹⁰Po, ²¹⁰Pb, uranium, and radium isotopes in soil and sediment samples, (2) determination of the activity concentrations of ²³⁸U, ²³⁴U, ²³⁵U, ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁴Ra, ²²⁸Ra, ²²³Ra, ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in phosphogypsum, phosphoric acid, soil, and marine sediment, (3) inventory estimation of NORM in the residual phosphoric acid and in the discharged phosphogypsum, and (4) radioecological studies on the NORM contamination in the sea area of Gela. (author)