title: Health and environmental impacts of a fertilizer plant--Part I: assessment of radioactive pollution.
abstract: The aim of the first part of this investigation is to assess the radioactive pollution caused by a production plant of complex fertilizers (that is to say containing nitrogen, phosphorus and, in some cases, potassium). Firstly, the authors determine the concentrations of natural radioactivity present in raw materials, end products and wastes of the industrial plant. Then, they carry out an assessment of radioactive releases into the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere as well as of their significance from the environmental point of view. The second part of the investigation will be aimed at assessing the annual effective doses to plant workers and to members of the population surrounding the industrial site.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartment Centre for Research in Environmental Science, University of Bologna, via dell'Agricoltura 5, 48100 Ravenna, Italy. serena.righi2@unibo.it
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Righi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lucialli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bruzzi
mesh_terms: D004777:Environment; D005308:Fertilizers; D006801:Humans; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D009584:Nitrogen; D010710:Phosphates; D011188:Potassium; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D011850:Radioactive Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010710:Phosphates; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D011868:Radioisotopes; D009584:Nitrogen; D011188:Potassium