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Radionuclide fluxes at a plant manufacturing dicalcium phosphate for domestic animals

Gäfvert, Torbjörn LU ; Holm, Elis LU and Roos, Per LU (2001) In Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 54(1). p.61-73
Abstract
We have studied a phosphate rock plant which produces dicalcium phosphate (DCP), used as a source of calcium and phosphorus for domestic animals. A by-product in the manufacturing process is calcium chloride which is used in the oil industry, the food industry and as road-salt. The objectives of our study were to describe the fluxes of radionuclides from the U-238 decay series and to estimate the radiation doses to workers at the plant. The radionuclides in the phosphate rock were found to be in secular radioactive equilibrium with U-238, With an average activity concentration of 837 Bq kg(-1). Separation and concentration processes were observed at different stages in the plant. Most of the Ra-226 was found in the calcium chloride, while... (More)
We have studied a phosphate rock plant which produces dicalcium phosphate (DCP), used as a source of calcium and phosphorus for domestic animals. A by-product in the manufacturing process is calcium chloride which is used in the oil industry, the food industry and as road-salt. The objectives of our study were to describe the fluxes of radionuclides from the U-238 decay series and to estimate the radiation doses to workers at the plant. The radionuclides in the phosphate rock were found to be in secular radioactive equilibrium with U-238, With an average activity concentration of 837 Bq kg(-1). Separation and concentration processes were observed at different stages in the plant. Most of the Ra-226 was found in the calcium chloride, while the major part of the U-238, about 950 Bq kg(-1), was found in the dicalcium phosphate. The annual occupational effective dose to the workers was found to be below the 1 mSv limit recommended by ICRP (1991a) for the public. This study has shown a good example of an important non-nuclear industry with a high input of natural radionuclides with several conceivable pathways to man. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Calcium chloride, Dicalcium phosphate, Phosphate industry, Natural radioactivity
in
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
volume
54
issue
1
pages
61 - 73
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000167046600005
  • scopus:0035185776
ISSN
1879-1700
DOI
10.1016/S0265-931X(00)00166-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
783a5a11-c284-45f1-acaf-f8bdb9041304 (old id 1119569)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:30:20
date last changed
2022-04-21 08:21:35
@article{783a5a11-c284-45f1-acaf-f8bdb9041304,
  abstract     = {{We have studied a phosphate rock plant which produces dicalcium phosphate (DCP), used as a source of calcium and phosphorus for domestic animals. A by-product in the manufacturing process is calcium chloride which is used in the oil industry, the food industry and as road-salt. The objectives of our study were to describe the fluxes of radionuclides from the U-238 decay series and to estimate the radiation doses to workers at the plant. The radionuclides in the phosphate rock were found to be in secular radioactive equilibrium with U-238, With an average activity concentration of 837 Bq kg(-1). Separation and concentration processes were observed at different stages in the plant. Most of the Ra-226 was found in the calcium chloride, while the major part of the U-238, about 950 Bq kg(-1), was found in the dicalcium phosphate. The annual occupational effective dose to the workers was found to be below the 1 mSv limit recommended by ICRP (1991a) for the public. This study has shown a good example of an important non-nuclear industry with a high input of natural radionuclides with several conceivable pathways to man.}},
  author       = {{Gäfvert, Torbjörn and Holm, Elis and Roos, Per}},
  issn         = {{1879-1700}},
  keywords     = {{Calcium chloride; Dicalcium phosphate; Phosphate industry; Natural radioactivity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{61--73}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Environmental Radioactivity}},
  title        = {{Radionuclide fluxes at a plant manufacturing dicalcium phosphate for domestic animals}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0265-931X(00)00166-1}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0265-931X(00)00166-1}},
  volume       = {{54}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}