Abstract
Natural radioactivity might be present in fertilizers above ordinary levels, in particular for 40K and for the radionuclides of the 238U series. A modeling evaluation of the individual effective dose deriving from the use of fertilizers in agriculture is presented here. Dose assessment is useful in the transposition of Directive 2013/59/Euratom, which rules the individual exposure to commodities containing radionuclides of natural origin, such as fertilizers. The following input data have been considered for this study: the amount of fertilizers used in the region of Veneto and in Italy; the utilized agricultural area (to estimate the density of spread fertilizers); and, the average values of activity concentrations in fertilizers for 40K and 238U series radionuclides, derived from scientific literature. The individual effective dose was evaluated while using the Resrad calculation model, making assumptions on the characteristics of the interested soil. This study is focused on the region of Veneto, where the use of fertilizers is higher with respect to the rest of Italy, such providing a more conservative estimate of the individual effective dose to the population. The results show that the estimated individual effective dose values do not exceed few µSv per year. The category that most contributes to the dose is that of compound fertilizers and radon and 40K are the most significant radionuclides.
Highlights
Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) consist of materials not usually considered radioactive, but containing natural radionuclides with activity concentrations higher than the average inEarth’s crust
In the conservative hypothesis where all types of fertilizers are distributed on the same agricultural area, the total dose can be calculated as the sum of the single contributions
The individual effective dose for the population due to the use of Italian fertilizers in has been assessed through computer modeling, which is based on activity concentration values of agriculture has been assessed through computer modeling, which is based on activity concentration natural radioactivity in fertilizers and on distribution data provided by Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)
Summary
Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) consist of materials not usually considered radioactive, but containing natural radionuclides with activity concentrations higher than the average inEarth’s crust. Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) consist of materials not usually considered radioactive, but containing natural radionuclides with activity concentrations higher than the average in. NORM can be raw materials, products, or wastes from several working activities, where the radiological risk is incidental and anyway lower than the chemical one. Fertilizers are included among NORM, because they can increase the exposure of the population to radioactivity. Fertilizers are generally classified into ‘straight’ or ‘complex/mixed’, based on the presence of one or more primary plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), respectively. The natural radioactivity that is contained in fertilizers originates from the minerals used as raw material in their production. Significant levels of radioactivity can be contained in the phosphate and potassium fraction, while the nitrogen fraction is not radiologically significant
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