Abstract
This present work aims to mitigate the radioactive contaminants in Phosphogypsum (PG), a by-product generated from phosphate rock processing, by applying a new chemical additive before precipitation to repurpose it for construction materials. PG contains different concentrations of rare earth elements, trace elements, and radioactive nuclides, such as 226Ra derived from phosphate rock (PR), which could cause environmental and health risks if not properly managed. In this context, a new approach is suggested, requiring the addition of a specific combination of concentrated sulfuric acid and nitric acid or hydrochloric acid. Gamma spectroscopy has been used to determine the activity of 226Ra, which is successfully reduced by about 49 %, decreasing from 831 to 424 Bq/kg. Several radiological parameters have been calculated, including radium equivalent activity, Raeq = 437 Bq/kg, which is found to be quite close to the allowable limits for construction (370 Bq/kg). The results of the proposed approach seem to be an effective means of reducing the activity of PG, leading to enhanced environmental responsibility and adherence to regulations in the phosphate sector.
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