MSCA - Uranium transfer from mineral fertilizers to staple foods and potential mitigation pathways

Phosphate ore, the raw material used to produce mineral fertilizers, can contain significant amounts of naturally occurring toxic and even radiotoxic heavy metals such as cadmium and uranium. At present the European Union (EU) is imposing legal limits on the amount of cadmium in fertilizers so that this element if present in high concentrations is removed during the fertilizer production process. Similar limits do presently not exist for uranium even though the concentrations in fertilizers can be as high (>200 mg/kg) as those of commercially mined uranium ores! EU policy makers are actively discussing the introduction of a legal limit of uranium in fertilizers so that more scientific understanding on the possible pathways of uranium from fertilizers into the food chain is of great interest. Particularly high uranium concentrations have been measured in Tanzania (>600 mg/kg), and to a lesser extent North Africa (>200 mg/kg). More than 80% of the fertilizers, and raw materials for fertilizer production in the EU come from North Africa (mostly Morocco). The 2-year project "CleanFood" will review the composition and fertilizer production process of a phosphate ore with relatively high uranium content (WP1), engage with local stakeholders to understand potential risks associated with fertilizer use and - production (WP2), and chemically- (WP3) as well as radio-analytically (WP4) analyze the uranium content in staple food grown using the fertilizer. Subsequently and inexpensive measurement technique using smartphones will be developed and tested (WP5) and potential improvements (uranium recovery, WP6 as well as solar calcination, WP7) of the present production process will be developed to lab-scale with the purpose of commercial application. Results will be shared with all involved local stakeholders (WP8) and a proposals for follow-up funding as well as commercialization based on the results of the "CleanFood" project are foreseen.