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Refinement of waste phosphogypsum from Prahovo, Serbia: characterization and assessment of application in civil engineering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2020

Josip I. Išek ,
Lazar M. Kaluđerović Open the ORCID record for Lazar M. Kaluđerović [Opens in a new window] ,
Nikola S. Vuković ,
Maja Milošević ,
Ivana Vukašinović  and
Zorica P. Tomić
Josip I. Išek
Affiliation:
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology, Đušina 7, 11000Belgrade, Serbia
Lazar M. Kaluđerović*
Affiliation:
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080Belgrade, Serbia
Nikola S. Vuković
Affiliation:
NTC NIS-Naftagas Ltd, Narodnog fronta 12, 21000Novi Sad, Serbia
Maja Milošević
Affiliation:
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology, Đušina 7, 11000Belgrade, Serbia
Ivana Vukašinović
Affiliation:
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080Belgrade, Serbia
Zorica P. Tomić
Affiliation:
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080Belgrade, Serbia
*
*E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Two samples collected from the phosphogypsum deposits of the chemical products industry Elixir Prahovo (Serbia) were subjected to a recrystallization experiment performed over several repeated cycles. In these tests, phosphogypsum was separated into recrystallized (purified) gypsum, insoluble residue and supernatant. Both raw phosphogypsum and recrystallized gypsum were examined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry. The activity concentrations of 238U, 235U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th and 40K were investigated using γ-ray spectrometry. Based on the activity concentration results, a number of radiometric parameters were calculated for the original and recrystallized phosphogypsum (i.e. radium equivalent activity, γ indices for construction materials, α index and external and internal hazard indices). Raw phosphogypsum samples showed greater mean activity concentration levels of 238U and 226Ra than the international recommended limits, while the recrystallized gypsum demonstrated notably lower activity concentrations for these two isotopes. The activity concentration of 226Ra in recrystallized gypsum is ~6 times lower than in raw phosphogypsum. Therefore, recrystallized gypsum does not present a radiation hazard when used as a building material, while raw phosphogypsum meets the requirements only for road construction materials.

Keywords

γ-spectrometrybrushitechukhrovitephosphogypsumradionuclidesrecrystallization
Type
Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 55 , Issue 1 , March 2020 , pp. 63 - 70
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 2020

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Footnotes

Associate Editor: Asuman Turkmenoglu

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