Dynamics of contaminants in phosphogypsum of the fertilizer industry of Huelva (SW Spain): From phosphate rock ore to the environment

The dynamics of trace elements from phosphate rock ore to the environment in a phosphoric acid plant located in SW Spain and the impact of phosphogypsum wastes were investigated through total digestion and BCR-sequential extraction. Based on total concentration, element transfer factors as criteria for examining the potential environmental risk of waste with respect to ore rock were calculated, and it was observed that most trace elements are only transferred into phosphogypsum at rates of 2–12%. However, based on those concentrations that are likely to be most readily mobile in the environment, phosphogypsum acts as a higher emission source of contaminants than the original rock. About 100 million tonnes of phosphogypsum are stack-piled in a dump of 1200 ha over salt-marshes of an estuary formed by the confluence of the Tinto and Odiel rivers. Phosphogypsum has been applied, at the recommended rate of 20–25 t/ha since 1978–2001, to improve fertility and reduce Na saturation in agricultural soils of the Guadalquivir river valley (140 km²). Phosphogypsum capacity as a source of mobile contaminants in three environmental scenarios (water leaching, exposure to oxidising and reducing conditions) was quantified by combining sequential extraction and waste mass. The amounts of mobile contaminants that could be released for every tonne of phosphogypsum are approximately 7 × 10² g Sr, 1.1 × 10² g Fe, 55 g Y, 30 g Ce, 12 g Cr, 11 g Ti, 5 g Zn, 4 g each of Cu and Pb, 3 g each of V and Cd, 2 g each of As and Ni and 1 g U. Multiplying these amounts by 100 Mt and 20–25 t/ha, it is possible to calculate risk assessments of phosphogypsum for both estuarine zones, e.g. in a hypothetical stack collapse and waste spilling, and agricultural soils, respectively.     

Composition,Technology of Manufacture,and Circulation of Hellenistic Pottery from the Eastern Adriatic: A Case Study of Three Archaeological Sites along the Dalmatian Coast,Croatia

Archaeological excavations in Dalmatia have yielded a large amount of Hellenistic pottery that has yet to be archaeometrically analyzed. Stylistic analyses suggest that some vessels were imported, but the bulk of the material must have been produced locally. Our objectives are to demonstrate local ceramic production in both Greek colonies and native settlements in Dalmatia, and also to report on the composition and manufacture technology associated with this pottery. We examine 36 Hellenistic potsherds recovered from the coast of Croatia: a sanctuary on Cape Ploča, the native settlement of Resnik, and the Greek colony Issa. For the first time, archaeometric evidence supporting local production in Resnik is presented, while two local manufacturing centers are proposed for the bulk of the Cape Ploča pottery. The term Dalmatian production is suggested here to describe these indigenous ceramics. Material characteristics of the Issa samples suggest local colonial production and sophisticated ceramic technology.