Investigation of the radiological impact on the coastal environment surrounding a fertilizer plant

• Published in: Journal of environmental radioactivity Vol. 133; pp. 69 - 74
• Main Authors: El Samad, O., Aoun, M., Nsouli, B., Khalaf, G., Hamze, M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alpha rays; Alpha spectrometry; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Coastal; Decay; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Fertilizers - adverse effects; Fertilizing; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gamma spectrometry; Industry; Lead Radioisotopes - analysis; Lebanese coast; Marine and brackish environment; Natural radionuclides; Natural water pollution; Phosphates; Phosphogypsum; Plants (organisms); Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Pollution, environment geology; Radioactivity; Radioisotopes - analysis; Radiological impact; Radon - analysis; Sea water; Seawaters, estuaries; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; Spectrometry, Gamma; Thorium - analysis; Uranium - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; Lebanon; Asia; Lebanese coast; Alpha spectrometry; Phosphogypsum; Natural radionuclides; Radiological impact; Gamma spectrometry; Natural origin pollution; Radioactive waste; Radioactive pollution; Biota; Hazardous waste; Radioisotope; Radioactivity measurement; Coastal zone; Marine environment; Fertilizer plant; Water pollution; Seawater; Anthropogenic factor
• ISSN: 0265-931X; 1879-1700
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2013.05.009

This investigation was carried out in order to assess the marine environmental radioactive pollution and the radiological impact caused by a large production plant of phosphate fertilizer, located in the Lebanese coastal zone. Natural radionuclides (238U, 235U, 232Th, 226Ra, 210Po, 210Pb, 40K) and anthropogenic 137Cs were measured by alpha and gamma spectrometry in seawater, sediment, biota and coastal soil samples collected from the area impacted by this industry. The limited environmental monitoring program within 2 km of the plant indicates localized contamination with radionuclides of the uranium decay chain mainly due to the transport, the storage of raw materials and the free release of phosphogypsum waste.