Toxic Elements in phosphates, limestone and bone meal

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of identifying toxic elements present in products largely used in Brazilian agriculture and livestock: dicalcium phosphate, supertriple phosphate, supersimple phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, sulphur amonium phoshphate, ammoniated calcium polyphosphate, a farm-made bovine mineral supplement, a bone meal and a limestone. Many techniques were employed in such analyses: X-ray diffractometry, atomic absorption, colorimetric and gravimetric techniques and instrumental neutron activation. It was detected many elements classified as hazard and toxic elements by the (United States) ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry such as aluminum, arsenic, barium, cerium, cesium, cobalt, fluoride, strontium, thorium, uranium, vanadium and zinc. It has also noted a high presence of Si as quartz in the bone meal and in the bovine mineral supplement. Bicalcic phosphate presents the smallest presence of hazardous elements.