Advantages and disadvantages of using phosphogypsum as building material. Radiological aspects

En: 1st Spanish National Conference on Advances in Materials Recycling and Eco – Energy Madrid, 12-13 November 2009.-- Editors: F. A. López, F. Puertas, F. J. Alguacil and A. Guerrero.-- 4 pages, 3 tables, 2 figures.
The alternative uses of waste-phophogypsum in the building industry are being considered nowadays in several countries, as its long-term storage and maintenance presents economic as well as potential environmental concerns. Advantages and disavantages of using both, natural gypsum and phosphogypsum, are discussed in this work over a radiological point of view. The natural radioactivity level in the waste-phosphogypsum could be a restriction for its use as building material, but this drawback could be avoided controlling its percentage in the cement preparation and the natural radioactivity level of the other raw materials used in its production, in addition to the calculation of the Ra-equivalent index in the final by-products. The optimization of waste phosphogysum percentage in the cement production on a pilot scale and its physical and chemical characterization are being studied by CIEMAT-CENIM.
The authors are grateful to the Spanish National R&D&I Plan (Project CTQ2008-02012/PPQ (INCERAFOS Project) for the financial support of this study.