Radioactivity of fertilizers used in Serbia and dose assessments for workers in the industry

Fertilizers contain a certain level of radioactivity and thus can affect the exposure of workers to radiation during production. The activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were determined using the gamma spectrometry method for 36 samples of chemical fertilizers used in Serbia. Average values of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K are 213 ± 37 Bq kg− 1, 51 ± 10 Bq kg− 1, 12 ± 2 Bq kg− 1, 3671 ± 436 Bq kg− 1, respectively. The values of radium equivalent index (Raeq), absorbed gamma dose rate (DR), annual effective dose (AED) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), alpha dose equivalents for radon exposures (HE), and radon mass exhalation rates (EM) were estimated. The obtained values were compared with the results of similar research.