Contamination of Potentially Trace Metals in Aqaba and Eshidiya Phosphogypsum in Jordan

Abstract

Contamination of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se, Zn and V in Jordan phosphogypsum by product has been determined. The aim of this study is to assess the potential of trace metals contamination caused by production plant of Aqaba and Eshidiya. Arsenic, Cr, Hg, Pb, Se and V have exhibited normal abundances where Cd and U had the highest enrichment factors of 16 and 4, respectively in Aqaba phosphogypsum and 18 and 1, respectively in Eshidiya phosphogypsum. In addition, the elements geo-accumulation index factor were calculated and found that As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se, Zn V are unpolluted to moderately polluted, with the exception of Cd, it shows highly polluted. Arsenic, Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn show immobility to low mobility, whereas Se exhibits intermediate to high mobility. The results obtained in this study can be not worrying from the point of view of environmental safe use of phosphogypsum