ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF RADIONUCLIDES AND INORGANIC CHEMICALS FROM AL-QAIM FERTILIZERS COMPLEX, IRAQ

M.D. Al-Nuzal, Saadi

	ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF RADIONUCLIDES AND INORGANIC CHEMICALS FROM AL-QAIM FERTILIZERS COMPLEX, IRAQ
Iraqi Bulletin of Geology and Mining
Article 1, Volume 0, Issue 7, 2017, Pages 93-111
Author
Saadi M.D. Al-Nuzal
Abstract
Unfortunately phosphate rock mining and fertilizer industry manufacturing operations are not environment friendly. It releases huge amount of toxic contaminants into air, water and soil, which led this industry to cause serious environmental problems, among which, fluorides and radionuclides the primary toxic pollutants. This brief review highlights many issues of environmental concern; among which are the impact of natural radionuclides present in phosphate ores, and along the processes, waste products, and radon emanation problems. Phosphate fertilizers contaminate agricultural soils with radionuclides and heavy metals through regular application, in such a way that it necessitates their removal from the end products. The cost of extraction of uranium from phosphoric acid as byproduct compensates much of the cost of purifying the acid. The environmental impact and the improved waste management requirements include harmful gas rendering, controlling effluent waste below harmful levels, as well as the proper dumping of the huge amount of phosphogypsum waste. Recent waste management procedure and general guidelines to mitigate or reduce the environmentally harmful impacts of the contaminant are given in this review.
Keywords
environmental impact; Phosphate industry; Chemical pollutants; radionuclides; Iraq

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