Sources and Quantities of Fluorides Evolved from the Manufacture of Fertilizer and Related Products

Fluoride emission rates from the manufacture of phosphoric acid, run-of-pile triple super-phosphate, diammonium phosphate, and granular triple super-phosphate are presented in tabular form. In discussing the information, variations to the usual arrangements and operating practices are mentioned. Fluoride emissions from the manufacturing or producing of related phosphatic products such as defluorinated and calcined phosphate rock, normal super-phosphate, super-phosphoric acid and elemental phosphorus are also discussed. The information is based entirely upon the fertilizer and related phosphate products manufactured in Polk and Hillsborough Counties in Florida. This area produces 75% of the marketable phosphate rock in the United States. Some 40% of the rock remains in these two counties for chemical or thermal processing. The phosphate industry is required to report on fluoride emission levels found by their sampling and monitoring programs. These values are compared with those found by the Florida State Board of Health’s source sampling and monitoring program.