title: Investigation of the radiological impact on the coastal environment surrounding a fertilizer plant.
abstract: This investigation was carried out in order to assess the marine environmental radioactive pollution and the radiological impact caused by a large production plant of phosphate fertilizer, located in the Lebanese coastal zone. Natural radionuclides ((238)U, (235)U, (232)Th, (226)Ra, (210)Po, (210)Pb, (40)K) and anthropogenic (137)Cs were measured by alpha and gamma spectrometry in seawater, sediment, biota and coastal soil samples collected from the area impacted by this industry. The limited environmental monitoring program within 2 km of the plant indicates localized contamination with radionuclides of the uranium decay chain mainly due to the transport, the storage of raw materials and the free release of phosphogypsum waste.
authors.affiliation: Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission, National Council for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 11-8281, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address: osamad@cnrs.edu.lb.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: El Samad
authors.affiliation: Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission, National Council for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 11-8281, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aoun
authors.affiliation: Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission, National Council for Scientific Research, P.O. Box: 11-8281, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nsouli
authors.affiliation: Marine Research Centre, National Council for Scientific Research, Lebanon.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Khalaf
authors.affiliation: National Council for Scientific Research - CNRS, Lebanon.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamze
mesh_terms: D005308:Fertilizers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007221:Industry; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D013910:Thorium / Q000032:analysis; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D007856:Lead Radioisotopes; D011868:Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive; D014501:Uranium; D013910:Thorium; D011886:Radon
keywords: Alpha spectrometry; Gamma spectrometry; Lebanese coast; Natural radionuclides; Phosphogypsum; Radiological impact