TITLE:
Radon exhalation from phosphogypsum stabilized in sulfur polymer cement
AUTHORS:
Irene García-Diaz, Francisco José Alguacil, Manuel Gázquez, Juan Pedro Bolivar, Israel López Coto, Félix A. López
KEYWORDS:
Radon; Phosphogypsum; NORM; Radioactivity; Sulfur polymer Cement
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.5 No.5,
May
29,
2013
ABSTRACT:
Phosphogypsum (PG),
primary by-product from phosphoric acid production, is accumulated in large
stock-piles which were active until 2010, when spills were banned. It is
considered as NORM material that contains radionuclides from 238U
and decay series which are of most radiotoxicity. PG was valorized and/or
recycled in a building material, sulfur polymer cement (SPC). The SPC-PG
samples reach the international regulation to use in the manufacture of building materials without radiological restrictions,
except the sample with the 50% of PG. Under normal conditions of
ventilation the contribution to the expected radon indoor concentration is also
below the international recommendation.