International Journal of Waste Resources

Maria Jose Madruga

Publications

• Research Article
  Distribution of Natural Radionuclides, Rare Earth Elements, Metals and Metalloids in a Phosphogypsum Stockpile
  Author(s): Maria Jose Madruga, Maria Isabel Prudencio, Jose Alberto Gil Corisco, Jan Mihalik, Rosa Marques, Marta Santos, Mario Reis, Isabel Paiva and Maria Isabel DiasMaria Jose Madruga, Maria Isabel Prudencio, Jose Alberto Gil Corisco, Jan Mihalik, Rosa Marques, Marta Santos, Mario Reis, Isabel Paiva and Maria Isabel Dias
  
  A first detailed study of phosphogypsum (PG) from a stockpile in Barreiro (Portugal) was performed aiming for a better characterization of this industrial waste deposit, considering its enhanced content in natural radionuclides and toxic metals, making it a potential contamination source to the Tejo estuary. Whole samples and aggregates of these wastes resulting from phosphate industries were analysed by neutron activation, gamma-spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. This work clearly shows that a significant chemical heterogeneity in the PG occurs due to the existence of aggregates with different compositions randomly distributed. Among these aggregates, the dark grey ones have high concentrations of Sc, Cr, Zn, Ga, Ba, REE, Ta, W, Th and U and the highest concentrations of 226Ra and 210Pb. The separation of these dark aggregat.. View More»
  DOI: 10.35248/2252-5211.19.9.363

  Abstract PDF