https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-025-06935-4
Regular Article
Environmental impact assessment of phosphorite deposits, Egypt: geochemistry, radioactivity, and health risks
1
Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, 11884, Cairo, Egypt
2
Exploration Department, Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, 11727, Nasr City, Egypt
3
State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, 200241, Shanghai, China
4
Nuclear Materials Authority (NMA), P.O. Box 530, El-Maadi, Cairo, Egypt
5
Geological Sciences Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622, Cairo, Egypt
6
Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O.Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
7
INFN-National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Napoli Section, Naples, Italy
8
Department of Physics “Ettore Pancini”, University of Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
9
Ural Federal University, 620002, Ekaterinburg, Russia
10
Department of Physics, Dogus University, 34775, Dudullu-Ümraniye, Istanbul, Türkiye
Received:
22
February
2025
Accepted:
6
October
2025
Published online:
28
October
2025
This research focuses on the petrography, geochemical characteristics, radioactive assessment, and health hazards to humans linked to phosphorite deposits from the Gebel El-Biyda area, Egypt. Petrographic analysis reveals that the phosphorite samples consist primarily of apatite, fish skeletal remains, and shark teeth, with calcite, quartz, and iron oxides as cement materials by carbonate, anhydrite, and silica. Petrographically and mineralogically, the mineral constitutes of the examined phosphorite consist mainly of apatite (possibly francolite), while the non-phosphatic minerals are composed of quartz, calcite, glauconite, and hematite. Geochemical analysis shows high average concentrations of CaO (34.82%), P2O5 (17.57%), SiO2 (19.20%), MgO (0.58%), Fe2O3 (1.97%), while trace elements like Cr (49 ppm), Mn (536 ppm), Ni (23 ppm), Zn (144 ppm), Sr (841 ppm), Ba (75 ppm), Pb (3 ppm) are also present in significant amounts. The activity concentrations of radionuclides 238U, 232Th, and 40K in phosphorite deposits were statistically analyzed to assess their radiological significance and distribution patterns. The results showed that 238U exhibited significantly high activity concentrations, ranging between 506 and 1321 Bq kg−1, averaged around 822 ± 239 Bq kg−1, exceeding the global average. This enrichment reflects uranium's geochemical affinity for phosphorite minerals. In contrast, 232Th and 40K showed lower mean concentrations of 23 ± 11 Bq kg−1and 13 ± 8 Bq kg−1, respectively, with both radionuclides remaining below global averages. Health risk assessment shows that non-carcinogenic risks are higher for children, particularly due to heavy metals like Cr and As, while carcinogenic risks are also elevated for children, primarily due to Ni, Cr, and Cd exposure. These findings highlight the need for monitoring and managing the radiological and heavy metal risks posed by these deposits.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
