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- Title
Natural radioactivity in mineral phosphate fertilizers and its impacts on human health: an overview.
- Authors
e Silva, Camila Rodrigues; de Oliveira, Fabiana Monteiro
- Abstract
Humans are constantly exposed to radioactivity present in rocks, soils, and water, mainly from materials in the Earth's crust that contain chemical elements belonging to the radioactive series of uranium and thorium. An important anthropogenic source of these natural radioisotopes to the environment is fertilizers, widely used to increase agricultural productivity. Exposure to ionizing radiation can become a public health problem worldwide, since it is related to the development of different cancers in humans. The present study aimed to survey research on the radioactive content in different types of mineral phosphate fertilizers used around the world through a comprehensive review of the Scopus and Web of Science databases. About 80 scientific articles fit the purpose of this review. The concentration activity values found varied widely from one country to another, and there is no specific legislation that determines the maximum allowed limits of radioisotopes in these agricultural inputs. In addition, there are still uncertainties regarding the impact of natural radioactivity from fertilizers on human health, highlighting the need for further investigations on the subject.
- Subjects
PHOSPHATE fertilizers; NATURAL radioactivity; PHOSPHATE minerals; IONIZING radiation; RADIOACTIVE elements; URANIUM
- Publication
Environmental Science & Pollution Research, 2023, Vol 30, Issue 56, p118149
- ISSN
0944-1344
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11356-023-30467-y