ARSENIC POLLUTION FROM PHOSPHOGYPSUM PRODUCED AT MULTAN, PAKISTAN
Abstract
Phosphogypsum (PG) is a by–product of the phosphate fertilizer industry, which contains various toxic elements. The concentration of one of the toxic elements, arsenic, has been measured in 10 samples of PG waste collected from the stack of the Pak-Arab Fertilizer factory at Multan in Pakistan. The technique of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was employed for the characterization of this element. The quality assurance was controlled by analyzing the reference materials, IAEA-SL1, IAEA-SDM-2 and GSJ-JB-2 along with the PG samples. The concentration of arsenic was found to vary from 1.55 to 11.39 µg/g with an average value of 6.26 µg/g. The level of arsenic in the PG samples was compared with the permissible value of this element in soil and water. The potential hazard of this element to human health and the environment has been discussed and method to control this pollution has been proposed in this paper.References
J. B. Carmichael, Proceedings of 2nd
international symposium on phosphogypsum,
Miami, FL. FIPR Pub. No. 01-037-055. Vol.
(1988) 105.
G. J. Witkamp and G.M. Van Rosmalen,
Proceedings of Second International
Symposium on Phosphogypsum, Miami, FL.
FIPR Pub. No.01-037-055 (1) (1988). 337.
T. Zakharova, F. Tatano and V. Menshikov,
Toxicol and Pharmacol. 36 (2002) 22.
D.A. Mays and J. J. Mortvedt, J. Environ.
Qual. 15 (1986) 78.
S. M. Luther, M. J. Dudas and P. M.
Rutherford, Water, Air and Soil Poll, 69
(1993) 277.
J. B. Cowart and W. C. Burnett, J. of Environ.
Qual. 23 (1994) 651.
R. Zaghloul, W. H. El-Abbady and N. S.
Ghoma, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 116, No.
(1987) 235.
S. Javied, S. Waheed, N. Siddique, M. Tufail,
M. M. Chaudhry and N. Irfan, J. Radioanal.
Nucl. Chem. 278, No. 1 (2008) 17.
P. M. Rutherford, M. J. Dudas and R. A.,
Samek, Sci. Tot. Environ. 149 (1994) 1.
M. B. McBride, Environmental Chemistry of
Soils. Oxford Univ. Press, New York (1994).
SENES Consultant limited. An analysis of the
major environmental and health concerns of
phosphogypsum tailings in Canada and
methods for their reduction. SENES
Consultants Ltd., Willowdale, Ontario (1987).
S. Waheed, A. Rahman, N. Siddique and S.
Ahmad, Geostand. Geoanalytical Res. 31,
No. 2 (2007) 133.
R. Dybozynski and O. Suschny, Final report
on the Intercomparison Run SL-1, IAEA Lab.
Seiberdorf, IAEA/RL/64 (1992).
G. V. Iyengar, A. Bleise, B. Smodis, R. M.
Parr and D. Glavic-Cindro, The IAEA
Database of Natural Matrix Reference
Materials, International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) (2003).
A. Mannan, S. Waheed, S. Ahmad and I. H.
Qureshi, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 162, No.
(1992) 111.
WHO Guidelines for drinking water quality:
Recommendations, Vol. 1, 2nd Edition.
World Health Organization, Geneva (1993).
OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health
Administration), Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Labour, Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (1994).
Background Paper # 8 by Khurram Shahid
‘Drinking Water and Sanitation Sector
Review of Policies and Performance and
Future Options for Improving Service
Delivery Country Water Resources
Assistance Strategy, March, 2005.
The DAWN, High Arsenic Concentration in
Potable Water Study- Disposal of Untreated
Industrial waste, 13th April, 2004, The Dawn
group of newspapers.
H. Górecki, K. Chojnacka, Z. Dobrzański, R.
Kolacz, H. Górecka and T. Trziszka, Anim.
Feed Sci. and Tech. 128 (2006) 84.
R. Dom´ınguez, C. Del Campillo, E. Pena
and A. Delgado, Arid Land Res Man., 15
(2001) 203.
S. M. I. Huq, R. Correll and R. Naidu, Arsenic
accumulation in food sources in Bangladesh.
In: Managing arsenic in the environment:
from soil to human health. Melbourne:
CSIRO Publishing; (2006) 279.
X. Z. Xiong, J. Li, P. Y. S. Wang, H. Ten, L.P.
Wang and S.H. Song, Huanjing Kexue 8
(1987) 8.
M.J. Abedin, M. S. Cresser, A. A. Meharg, J.
Feldmann and J. Cotter-Howells, Environ.
Sci. and Tech. 36, No. 5 (2002) 962.
C. Steinmaus, K. Carrigan, D. Kalman, R.
Atallah, Y. Yuan and A. H. Smith, Environ.
Health Perspect. 113, No. 9 (2005) 1153.
C.H. Tseng, J. Environ. Sci. Hlth. Part C 25
(2007) 1.
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical
Hazards (DHHS Publication No. 97-140).
Washington, DC: U.S. Government (1997).
Food and Nutritional Board (FNB):
Recommended Dietary Allowances, 9th Ed.,
National Academy of Science, Washington
DC, USA, (1980)