Application of semi-empirical model for the evaluation of radium activity in phosphogypsum used as component of clinker

Phosphogypsum is a residue that has been used by the cement industry as a substitute for the natural gypsum, used as a clinker additive during the production of Portland cement. There is a potential increase in this residue use since the large amount of phosphogypsum is generated as outcome of the p...

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Main Authors: Ricardo Rossasi Geraldo, Sergei Anatolyevich Paschuk, Rafael Carvalho Barreto, Janine Nicolosi Corrêa, Guilherme Soares Zahn, Paulo Sergio Cardoso da Silva, Amanda Claudia Malagi da Silva, Danielle Cristine Narloch, Isabelle Cabello Araujo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Brazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR) 2021-04-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences
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Online Access:https://bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/1518
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author Ricardo Rossasi Geraldo
Sergei Anatolyevich Paschuk
Rafael Carvalho Barreto
Janine Nicolosi Corrêa
Guilherme Soares Zahn
Paulo Sergio Cardoso da Silva
Amanda Claudia Malagi da Silva
Danielle Cristine Narloch
Isabelle Cabello Araujo
author_facet Ricardo Rossasi Geraldo
Sergei Anatolyevich Paschuk
Rafael Carvalho Barreto
Janine Nicolosi Corrêa
Guilherme Soares Zahn
Paulo Sergio Cardoso da Silva
Amanda Claudia Malagi da Silva
Danielle Cristine Narloch
Isabelle Cabello Araujo
author_sort Ricardo Rossasi Geraldo
collection DOAJ
description Phosphogypsum is a residue that has been used by the cement industry as a substitute for the natural gypsum, used as a clinker additive during the production of Portland cement. There is a potential increase in this residue use since the large amount of phosphogypsum is generated as outcome of the phosphate fertilizer industries. However, phosphogypsum can be considered a source of radioactive contamination since it has 226Ra in its composition. Depending on the concentration of 226Ra, from the radiological protection point of view, this may cause a problem because this radionuclide and its direct decay product 222Rn along with other decay products, represent the largest fraction of radiation internal dose received by people. In order to evaluate the level of radiological risk that may be associated with the use of phosphogypsum, it is necessary to identify the concentration of 226Ra in building material. The aim of this research is to analyze the samples of phosphogypsum in relation to the concentrations of 226Ra, determined indirectly through 222Rn activity measurements. This measurement process has the advantage of being fast, convenient and relatively inexpensive when compared to traditional 226Ra concentration in samples measurement methods. Proposed physical-mathematical model was used to establish radium concentration from radon exhalation rate from cement mortar samples. The 222Rn activity measurements were performed with a portable detector with cubic phosphate samples with 50 mm edges each placed in a closed atmosphere of the sampling chamber until secular equilibrium is achieved. Obtained concentrations of radium activity in studied samples of phosphogypsum and cement mortars were found below the limits recommended by CNEN and international regulation.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2319-0612
language English
publishDate 2021-04-01
publisher Brazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR)
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spelling doaj-art-d52ed39cd22b4945be5704326bc49a9e2025-08-20T03:50:49ZengBrazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR)Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences2319-06122021-04-0191A10.15392/bjrs.v9i1A.15181175Application of semi-empirical model for the evaluation of radium activity in phosphogypsum used as component of clinkerRicardo Rossasi Geraldo0Sergei Anatolyevich Paschuk1Rafael Carvalho Barreto2Janine Nicolosi Corrêa3Guilherme Soares Zahn4Paulo Sergio Cardoso da Silva5Amanda Claudia Malagi da Silva6Danielle Cristine Narloch7Isabelle Cabello Araujo8Federal University of Technology - Paraná, UTFPRFederal University of Technology - Paraná, UTFPRFederal University of Technology - Paraná, UTFPRFederal University of Technology - Paraná, UTFPRNuclear and Energy Research Institute - IPENNuclear and Energy Research Institute - IPENFederal University of Technology - Paraná, UTFPRFederal University of Technology - Paraná, UTFPRFederal University of Technology - Paraná, UTFPRPhosphogypsum is a residue that has been used by the cement industry as a substitute for the natural gypsum, used as a clinker additive during the production of Portland cement. There is a potential increase in this residue use since the large amount of phosphogypsum is generated as outcome of the phosphate fertilizer industries. However, phosphogypsum can be considered a source of radioactive contamination since it has 226Ra in its composition. Depending on the concentration of 226Ra, from the radiological protection point of view, this may cause a problem because this radionuclide and its direct decay product 222Rn along with other decay products, represent the largest fraction of radiation internal dose received by people. In order to evaluate the level of radiological risk that may be associated with the use of phosphogypsum, it is necessary to identify the concentration of 226Ra in building material. The aim of this research is to analyze the samples of phosphogypsum in relation to the concentrations of 226Ra, determined indirectly through 222Rn activity measurements. This measurement process has the advantage of being fast, convenient and relatively inexpensive when compared to traditional 226Ra concentration in samples measurement methods. Proposed physical-mathematical model was used to establish radium concentration from radon exhalation rate from cement mortar samples. The 222Rn activity measurements were performed with a portable detector with cubic phosphate samples with 50 mm edges each placed in a closed atmosphere of the sampling chamber until secular equilibrium is achieved. Obtained concentrations of radium activity in studied samples of phosphogypsum and cement mortars were found below the limits recommended by CNEN and international regulation.https://bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/1518phosphogypsumclinkeractivityradiumsemi-empirical model
spellingShingle Ricardo Rossasi Geraldo
Sergei Anatolyevich Paschuk
Rafael Carvalho Barreto
Janine Nicolosi Corrêa
Guilherme Soares Zahn
Paulo Sergio Cardoso da Silva
Amanda Claudia Malagi da Silva
Danielle Cristine Narloch
Isabelle Cabello Araujo
Application of semi-empirical model for the evaluation of radium activity in phosphogypsum used as component of clinker
Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences
phosphogypsum
clinker
activity
radium
semi-empirical model
title Application of semi-empirical model for the evaluation of radium activity in phosphogypsum used as component of clinker
title_full Application of semi-empirical model for the evaluation of radium activity in phosphogypsum used as component of clinker
title_fullStr Application of semi-empirical model for the evaluation of radium activity in phosphogypsum used as component of clinker
title_full_unstemmed Application of semi-empirical model for the evaluation of radium activity in phosphogypsum used as component of clinker
title_short Application of semi-empirical model for the evaluation of radium activity in phosphogypsum used as component of clinker
title_sort application of semi empirical model for the evaluation of radium activity in phosphogypsum used as component of clinker
topic phosphogypsum
clinker
activity
radium
semi-empirical model
url https://bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/1518
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