Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T16:12:52.091Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

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]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

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

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Associate Editor: Asuman Turkmenoglu

References

Amjad, Z. (1988) Calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) scale formation on heat exchanger surfaces: the influence of scale inhibitors. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 123(2), 523–536.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Azimi, G. (2010) Evaluating the Potential of Scaling Due to Calcium Compounds in Hydrometallurgical Processes. PhD thesis, Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.Google Scholar
Cánovas, C.R. (2018) Valorization of wastes from the fertilizer industry: current status and future trends. Journal of Cleaner Production, 174, 678–690.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Costa, C., Fortes, A., Rocha, F., Cerqueira, A., Santos, D. & Amaral, M.H. (2019) Characterization of Portuguese gypsums as raw materials for dermocosmetics. Clay Minerals, 54, 277–281.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prahovo, Elixir (2018) About the company. Retrieved from https://www.elixirprahovo.rs/en/about-the-company-2 (accessed 5 May 2018).Google Scholar
Hammas, I., Horchani-Naifer, K. & Férid, M. (2013) Characterization and optical study of phosphogypsum industrial waste. Studies in Chemical Process Technology, 1, 30–36.Google Scholar
Hua, S, Wang, K. & Yao, X. (2016) Developing high performance phosphogypsum-based cementitious materials for oil-well cementing through a step-by-step optimization method. Cement and Concrete Composites, 72, 299–308.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
IAEA (2013) Radiation Protection and Management of NORM Residues in the Phosphate Industry. Safety Reports Series No. 78. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria, 288 pp.Google Scholar
Jalali, J., Magdich, S., Jarboui, R., Loungou, M. & Ammar, E. (2016) Phosphogypsum biotransformation by aerobic bacterial flora and isolated Trichoderma asperellum from Tunisian storage piles. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 308, 362–373.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ji, Y.Y., Lim, J.M., Kim, H., Kim, C.J., Lim, C.S. & Chung, K.H. (2017) Limitations of gamma-ray spectrometry in the quantification of 238U and 232Th in raw materials and by-products. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 311(2), 1163–1168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jung, Y., Lim, J.M., Ji, Y.Y., Chung, K.H. & Kang, M.J. (2017) The transport characteristics of 238U, 232Th, 226Ra, and 40K in the production cycle of phosphate rock. Journal of Radiation Protection and Research, 42(1), 33–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kandil, A.H.T., Cheira, M.F., Gado, H.S., Soliman, M.H. & Akl, H.M. (2017) Ammonium sulfate preparation from phosphogypsum waste. Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences, 10, 24–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lushnikova, N. & Dvorkin, L. (2016) Sustainability of gypsum products as a construction material. Pp. 643–681 in Sustainability of Construction Materials, 2nd edition (Khatib, Jamal, editor). Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, UK.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mikheev, V.I. (1957) Rentgenometricheskii opredelitel mineralov (X-Ray Determination of Minerals). Gosudarstvennoe nauchno-tehnicheskoe izdatelstvo literatur po geologii i ohrane nedr, Moscow, USSR, 868 pp. (in Russian).Google Scholar
Milošević, M. & Logar, M. (2017) Properties and characterization of a clay raw material from Miličinica (Serbia) for use in the ceramic industry. Clay Minerals, 52, 329–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moreira, R.H., Queiroga, F.S., Paiva, H.A., Medina, N.H., Fontana, G. & Guazzelli, M.A. (2018) Extraction of natural radionuclides in TENORM waste phosphogypsum. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 6, 6664–6668.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
OECD (1979) Exposure to Radiation from the Natural Radioactivity in Building Materials. Report by an NEA Group of Experts. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, France, 40 pp.Google Scholar
Pantelić, G.K., Todorović, D.J., Nikolić, J.D., Rajačić, M.M., Janković, M.M. & Sarap, N.B. (2015) Measurement of radioactivity in building materials in Serbia. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 303(3), 2517–2522.Google Scholar
Pérez-López, R, Macías, F, Cánovas, C.R., Sarmiento, A.M. & Pérez-Moreno, S.M. (2016) Pollutant flows from a phosphogypsum disposal area to an estuarine environment: an insight from geochemical signatures. Science of the Total Environment, 553, 42–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rolnick, L.S. (1954) The Stability of Gypsum and Anhydrite in the Geologic Environment. PhD thesis, Department of Geology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.Google Scholar
Roode, Q.I. & Strydom, C.A. (1999) The characterization of phosphogypsum and gypsum–brushite mixtures by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric techniques. Concrete Science and Engineering, 1, 222–227.Google Scholar
RS Official Gazette (2014) Rulebook on Cement Quality. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 44. National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia, 11 pp. (in Serbian).Google Scholar
RS Official Gazette (2018) Rulebook on Limits of Radionuclides Content in Drinking Water, Foodstuffs, Feeding Stuffs, Medicines, General Use Products, Construction Materials and Other Goods That Are Put on Market. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 36. National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia, 5 pp. (in Serbian).Google Scholar
Sahu, S.K., Ajmal, P.Y., Bhangare, R.C., Tiwari, M. & Pandit, G.G. (2014) Natural radioactivity assessment of a phosphate fertilizer plant area. Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences, 7(1), 123–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saueia, C.H.R. (1998) Caracterização Radioquímica do Fosfogesso e implicações radiológicas de sua utilização como material de construção. Dissertação. PhD thesis. Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, Autarquia Associada à Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Portugal (in Portuguese).Google Scholar
Sun, H., Tan, D., Peng, T. & Liang, Y. (2016) Preparation of calcium sulfate whisker by atmospheric acidification method from flue gas desulfurization gypsum. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 31, 621–626.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tian, T., Yan, Y., Hu, Z., Xu, Y., Chen, Y. & Shi, J. (2016) Utilization of original phosphogypsum for the preparation of foam concrete. Construction and Building Materials, 115, 143–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
UNSCEAR (2000) United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, New York, NY, USA, 659 pp.Google Scholar
Walawalkar, M., Nichol, C.K. & Azimi, G. (2016) Process investigation of the acid leaching of rare earth elements from phosphogypsum using HCl, HNO3, and H2SO4. Hydrometallurgy, 166, 195–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhou, J., Sheng, Z., Li, T., Shu, Z., Chen, Y. & Wang, Y. (2016) Preparation of hardened tiles from waste phosphogypsum by a new intermittent pressing hydration. Ceramics International, 42, 7237–7245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar