Browsing by Author "Rakowska, Joanna"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    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.