Elemental redistribution in tropical soils: insights into REE, U, and Th mobility after extended phosphogypsum use.

ABSTRACT: Phosphogypsum is a soil conditioner used to enhance lime effects in depth and also to decrease aluminum (Al) toxicity to plants. It is a by-product from phosphate mining and can be enriched in some contaminants, such as rare earth elements (REE), uranium (U), and thorium (Th). However, there is a lack of studies evaluating the long-term effects of this practice, particularly in soil depths. To address this gap, this study aimed to evaluate the remobilization of REE, U, and Th in a highly weathered soil (Oxisol) for 9 years. Four soil parcels received a single application of 28 tons ha^-1 in different years: 2005, 2008, 2010, and 2013, with soil sampling occurring in 2014. Soil samples were digested and analyzed using mass spectrometry. The REE input from phosphogypsum reached 168

SUBMITTER: Tanure LPP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12881094 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature