Published January 2003 | Version v1
Journal article

Radioactivity Content in Phosphoric Acid Used for Fertilizer Production

  • 1. National Center for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority. P.O.Box 7751 Nasr City, Cairo 11762 (Egypt)

Description

Uranium content in phosphoric acid used fertilizer production was measured by alpha spectrometry, laser fluorimetry high resolution gamma spectrometry. Also, polonium-210 content was determined in phosphoric acid by alpha spectrometry. Uranium-234 and uranium-238 concentrations, measured by alpha spectroscopy, were found to be 601 and 507 Bq I-1, respectively. Total uranium content obtained by laser fluorimetry was about 545 BqI-(45.4ppm). Gamma spectroscopy analysis gave the concentrations of 40K, 238U, 235U, 214Pb, 214Bi and 208TI, as 17,644,19.5, 1.2,1.3 and 9.4 Bq I-1, respectively. Polonium-210 concentration was found to be about 3.1 Bq I-1. Uranium-232 and polonium-208 were used as yield tracers, for alpha measurements of uranium and polonium, respectively. Samples of the tri-super phosphate (TSP) and single-super phosphate (SSP) fertilizers and the phosphogypsum produced were also analyzed by gamma spectroscopy. Uranium content in both phosphate fertilizers was 3205 and 1440 Bq Kg-1 for 238U and 83 and 35 Bq Kg-1for,235U respectively

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Arab Journal of Nuclear Sciences and Applications
Journal Volume
36
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
p. 1-6
CODEN
AJNADV