Browsing by Author "Piotrowska, Barbara"

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    A study of natural radioactivity of rock meals used for soil fertilization
    (2024) Łukaszek-Chmielewska, Aneta; Piotrowska, Barbara; Isajenko, Krzysztof; Lipiński, Paweł; Podleśna, Anna; Lewicka, Sylwia; Rachwał, Marzena
    Granite and basalt meals (rock meals) are regarded as micronutrient fertilizers due to their rich content of macro- and microelements essential for proper development of planta. However, they also are rich in radionuclides which may pose a radioactive hazard to environment, food and people. The aim of this study was to assess the environmental and human exposure to ionizing radiation emitted by natural radioactive isotopes containing in granite and basalt meals increasingly used for soil fertilization. Gamma ray spectrometry was applied in order to determine concertation of radioactive isotopes: 40K, 226Ra and 232Th. Afterwards, radiological hazard parameters were calculated in order to assess health and environmental risks. The obtained results indicated that the average radioactivity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K of all granite meal samples were higher than their average content in the Earth’s crust. Whereas, basalt meals contained much lower natural radioactive isotopes. Similarly, the radiological hazard indices were higher and exceeded limit values in case of granite meals, thus excluding them from use in fertilization. Basalt meals were characterized by lower values of these indices, suggesting the possibility of their safe use in agriculture as soil fertilizers.
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    Heavy metals and natural radioactive isotopes in phosphate and compound fertilisers and their impact on human health
    (Nature Portfolio, 2025) Łukaszek-Chmielewska, Aneta; Rachwał, Marzena; Rakowska, Joanna; Piec, Robert; Podleśna, Anna; Piotrowska, Barbara; Isajenko, Krzysztof; Mietelski, Jerzy W.; Kierepko, Renata; Kosturkiewicz, Bogdan
    The paper presents the results of heavy metals (Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu) and natural radioactive isotopes (238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K) in phosphate and compound fertilisers produced in Poland. Heavy metals in the mineral fertilisers were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the acetylene-air flame. The content of natural radioactive isotopes was determined using gamma-ray and alpha spectrometry techniques. The average heavy metal content of the tested fertilisers was 154 ± 17, 154 ± 30, 5.43 ± 0.43, 7.87 ± 1.95, 197 ± 19 and 26 ± 7 mg kg− 1 for Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu, respectively. Whereas, the average concentrations of natural radioactive isotopes in the studied samples for 238U, 226Ra and 40K were respectively in the range of 715 ± 259, 549 ± 170 and 2472 ± 759 Bq kg− 1, and were higher than their average content in the Earth’s crust, in contrast to the average concentration of the 232Th isotope (12 ± 2 Bq kg− 1) in the tested samples compared to the average concentration in the Earth’s crust. To assess the health exposure of people in direct contact with fertilisers (factory workers, people working in fertiliser loading and unloading, transporters, storekeepers or farmers), basic radiological protection parameters such as radium equivalent activity (Raeq), outdoor dose rate (Dout), indoor dose rate (Din), annual outdoor effective dose and annual indoors effective dose (Eout and Ein) and total annual effective dose (Etot) were determined. It was observed that the calculated radiological hazard parameters for all samples exceeded the worldwide average values.