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Adverse Effects
Abstracts
ACTIVITY: Solid
diluent and carrier for pesticides,
EPA Inert
Formula: Ca5[F|(PO4)3] also 3
Ca3(PO4)2CaF2 or Ca10(PO4)6F2
The
most common source of fluoride (F-) in the environment is
the natural mineral fluorapatite, which is a fluorinated
calcium phosphate rock. Fluorapatite is mined as the primary
source of phosphate fertilizer.
Ref: Fluoride
Fact Sheet. U.S. Department of the Interior. Revision
Date 9/21/01.
The following
is from: PHOSPHATIC
FERTILISER MANUFACTURE IN AUSTRALIA
Rock
phosphate is not a pure chemical,
the chief component is Fluorapatite
bearing the chemical formula: 3 Ca3(PO4)2CaF2 or
Ca10(PO4)6F2
Superphosphate
Manufacture:
... The composition of most phosphatic
rocks varies considerably but generally they can be represented
by the simplified formula: Ca(PO4)
CaX where X is generally Fluorine F2
... When reactive silica is present
in the rock, it liberates much greater quantities of fluorine
in the form of SIF4 which reacts with water to form Hydrofluosilicic
acid H2SiF6.
The resulting hydrofluosilicic acid may be recycled in the
gas scrubber until it reaches a concentration of approximately
20%. This solution may then be utilised
in the production of by-products such as aluminium fluoride
(Aluminium industry) or as a source of fluorine in the Water
Supply Fluidisation [fluoridation] program.
Single superphosphate is
produced by mixing ground phosphate rock with sulfuric acid
and water to produce a solid product under controlled conditions
of residence time and temperature.
The technolofy consists of phosphate rock grinding, reaction
(denning), drying, maturing and fluorine
scrubbing.
|
Adverse
Effects:
Atrophic
rhinitis
Lung
Contamination Incident: Placentia
Bay, Newfoundland (1969)
Environmental:
• Abnormally
high fluoride values were found in the phosphate-polluted
sediments in the Jordan Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea).
• Nuaru: intensive phosphate mining during the past
90 years has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and
threatens limited remaining land resources |
Regulatory
Information
(only comprehensive for the US) |
US
EPA Registered: |
Yes
Inert
(cited by EPA in April
28, 2004, Federal Register) |
US Tolerances |
CFR 180.920
(new: April 28, 2004) |
Other
Information |
Molecular
Formulas: |
Ca10-F2-O4-P
Ca5-F-O12-P3
3
Ca3(PO4)2CaF2 or Ca10(PO4)6F2 |
Other
Names: |
(Ca5F(PO4)3)
Fluoroapatite
Phosphate rock |
Of
special interest: |
Abstracts
on Flurapatite |
See
also
•
The
Phosphate Fertilizer Industry: An Environmental Overview
•
Abstracts on Phosphate
Fertilizers that cite effects or levels of fluoride
|
1982
- Fluorine and Uranium in Phosphate Rock Processing and Waste
Materials by Haynes BW, Kramer GW, Jolly JA. Bureau of Mines,
Avondale, MD. Avondale Research Center. 1982. Available from
NTIS: Order Number: NTIS/PB82-176330,
23p. |
Undated
(2001-2005). Project Title: Evaluation
of Fluorapatite as a Waste-Form Material - see excerpts
at Abstracts. |
Material
Safety Data Sheet. September
12, 2001. |
About:
Apatite is a member of the Apatite group, a group of isomorphous
hexagonal minerals. Apatite may be regarded as a single
mineral, but is usually divided into three more minerals:
Fluorapatite, Chlorapatite, and Hydroxylapatite. Since it
is hard to distinguish between these minerals, and since
they may partially replace each other, a distinction between
them is rarely made, and they are simply called "Apatite".
However, most Apatite is Fluorapatite,
the most common member by far.
Apatite
is the most common phosphate mineral, and is the main source
of the phosphorus required by plants. The bones and teeth
of most animals, including humans, are of the same material
as Apatite.
Apatite
is named from the Greek word apate, which means "deceit",
since Apatite has a similar appearance to so many minerals.
Uses:
Apatite is the main source of phosphorus. Phosphorus was
previously extracted from crystalline Apatite, but nowadays
is extracted from enormous deposits of Apatite-rich rock.
Apatite is essential in the manufacture
of phosphate fertilizers, and is very important in the chemical
and pharmaceutical industries. Apatite is also a
popular collectors mineral, and some transparent specimens
are faceted for collectors.
Noteworthy
Localities:
Apatite is a common mineral, and fine localities are worldwide.
Enormous deposits are in the Kola Peninsula, Russia, containing
both crystals and botryoidal material. Some of the finest
crystals came from Ehrenfriedersdorf, Saxony Germany, where
they are blue to purple in color. Colorless, hexagonal crystals
were found in the Tyrol, Austria, and excellent material
from Panasqueira, Portugal. Deep blue crystals are found
in Campo Formosa, Bahia, Brazil, and in Sri Lanka. Enormous
deposits mined for industrial use exist in Nauru [see
box below], Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and
Israel ...
Ref:
http://www.minerals.net/mineral/phosphat/apatite/apatite.htm
Note
from EC: The
fluoride concentration in the Nauru phosphate deposits
has been estimated at 3.0%.
•
Nauru
- this
map and description is from "CIA
- The World Factbook" website
for Nauru.
Background:
Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early
in the 20th century by a German-British consortium;
the island was occupied by Australian forces in World
War I. Nauru achieved independence in 1968 and joined
the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest independent
republic.
Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south
of the Marshall Islands
Area
- comparative:
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Population:
12,809 (July 2004 est.)
Infant
mortality rate:
total: 10.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.39 deaths/1,000 live births
(2004 est.)
Economy
- overview:
Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come
from exports of phosphates, but reserves are now depleted.
Few other resources exist with most necessities being
imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier
and later major source of support. The
rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of
income from phosphates are serious long-term problems... |
Environment
- current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage
tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a
single, aging desalination plant;
intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years
- mainly by a UK, Australia,
and NZ consortium - has left the central 90%
of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining
land resources
Geography
- note:
Nauru is one of the three great
phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean
- the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati
and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south
of Equator |
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