Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41400687›Full record

ReviewRadiation and environmental biophysics2026

Overview of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in mineral processing industries and consideration of ionising radiation in life cycle assessment (LCA) - PART II. NORM impact assessment.

Jelena Mrdakovic Popic, Alla Dvorzhak, Boguslaw Michalik, Gennaro Venoso, Raffaella Ugolini, Federica Leonardi, Rosabianca Trevisi, Nathalie Vanhoudt, Antti Kallio, Almudena Real and 5 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Radiation and environmental biophysics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Jelena Mrdakovic PopicNorwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), Grini Naeringspark 13, Østerås, Norway. Jelena.Popic@dsa.no.
Alla DvorzhakResearch Centre on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
Boguslaw MichalikCentral Mining Institute - National Research Institute, Silesian Centre for Environmental Radioactivity (GIG-PIB), Plac Gwarków, 1, Katowice, 40-166, Poland.
Gennaro VenosoNational Institute of Health (ISS), National Centre for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics, Rome, Italy.
Raffaella UgoliniEnvironmental Protection Agency of Veneto (ARPAV), Verona, Italy.
Federica LeonardiNational Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL), DiMEILA, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
Rosabianca TrevisiNational Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL), DiMEILA, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
Nathalie VanhoudtBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Biosphere Impact Studies, Boeretang 200, Mol, 2400, Belgium.
Antti KallioRadiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Valtakatu15-17,, Rovaniemi FI-96200, Finland.
Almudena RealResearch Centre on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
Alicia EscribanoResearch Centre on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
Danyl Pérez-SánchezResearch Centre on Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Av. Complutense 40, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
Cristina NuccetelliNational Institute of Health (ISS), National Centre for Radiation Protection and Computational Physics, Rome, Italy.
Flavio TrottiEnvironmental Protection Agency of Veneto (ARPAV), Verona, Italy.
Laureline FevrierAutorité de Sûreté Nucléaire et de Radioprotection (ASNR), PSE-ENV/SPDR/LT2S, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, 13115, France.

Funding

the Euratom research and training programme 2019-2020 No. 900009
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This work provides an overview of issues related to naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in mineral processing industries across European countries, including the production of phosphoric acid and phosphate fertilisers, titanium dioxide (TiO₂), zircon and zirconium, and cement production industries. The study examines the impact of NORM from these industries on radiation exposure to workers, the public, and the environment. Relevant exposure scenarios are analysed, and effective radiation doses are evaluated. Potential treatments and final destinations of NORM residues are considered, with special attention to their possible valorisation and reuse. The aim of this work is to enhance overall knowledge of radiation protection in mineral processing industries, support the management of NORM-containing residues and waste, and assist regulatory decision-making. This is particularly important within the framework of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the circular economy, which emphasizes optimal resource use, reduction of raw material extraction, waste minimization, and product life cycle extension. Current residues may be valorised as raw materials for future industrial applications. In such an economic strategy, the environmental impact of NORM and potential risks to the public can be significantly reduced—or even eliminated—at certain stages of the product life cycle. However, potential radiation exposure must always be considered. Therefore, further development of the LCA approach for NORM is important and requires substantial effort. An initial evaluation of the case of phosphoric acid production in the context of LCA is presented in this paper as an example of the broader development work needed in this area.

Indexed as

Background RadiationIndustryMineralsRadiation, IonizingHumansMineralsImpact category ionising radiationLCAMineral processing industriesNatural radionuclidesNORMRadiological impact assessment

Identifiers

PMID41400687
PMCPMC13135523

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.