Central Florida phosphogypsum Essay

Central Florida phosphogypsum Essay

Instructions/Descriptions

Central Florida phosphogypsum Essay

Conclusion:

Phosphogypsum is a  waste product that results from processing phosphate ore to make phosphoric acid that is later used in fertilizer. Because the phosphate ore contains Uranium and Radium, phosphogypsum also contains these radionuclides. The radium is of particular concern because it decays to form Radon, a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.( https://www.epa.gov/radiation/subpart-r-national-emission-standards-radon-emissions-phosphogypsum-stacks

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Owners and operators must monitor and report radon emissions from inactive stacks and take measures to keep radon emissions within the regulatory limit of 20 picocuries per square meter per second.( https://www.epa.gov/radiation/subpart-r-national-emission-standards-radon-emissions-phosphogypsum-stacks

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Environmental regulations properly require Central Florida phosphogypsum to be disposed in lined phosphogypsum stacks that are capped and closed when they become inactive

The Central Florida phosphate rock mined by the phosphate industry contains large quantities of radionuclides. Until the price of uranium declined, the phosphate industry operated two uranium extraction facilities in Central Florida. At phosphoric acid plant facilities, the phosphate rock is treated with sulfuric acid, creating phosphoric acid and phosphogypsum waste.

The uranium goes primarily with the phosphoric acid, which becomes fertilizer and additives to products such as Coca- Cola. The radium 226 and 228 primarily go with the phosphogypsum waste. The phosphogypsum waste that results from treating Central Florida phosphate rock with sulfuric acid contains an average of 21 to 27 picocuries per gram of radium 226, plus various heavy metals such as arsenic, barium, cadmium and lead. Unlike natural gypsum, phosphogypsum is approximately 75 percent sulfur, resulting in phosphogypsum being very acidic, with pH levels as low as 2.15. The acidity of phosphogypsum mobilizes contaminants in both the phosphogypsum and in the groundwater environment. Because of these characteristics, both the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulate Central Florida phosphogypsum as solid waste that must be disposed in lined landfills with leachate collection systems, with the stack having to be closed and capped when it becomes inactive.( https://fluoridealert.org/news/phosphogypsum-regulations-are-appropriate/

Central Florida phosphogypsum Essay

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