Steel slag radioactivity as a factor for its use in construction industry

U metalurškim procesima proizvodnje željeznih i neželjeznih metala te njihovih legura, nastaju onečišćujuće tvari anorganskog i organskog podrijetla te brojni proizvodni otpadi i nusproizvodi. Jedan od najvažnijih proizvodnih ostataka je čeličanska troska, koja nastaje u procesima proizvodnje čelika u kisikovim konvertorima, elektrolučnim pećima i procesima sekundarne metalurgije te se treba smatrati nusproizvodom, a ne proizvodnim otpadom. U ovom radu ukratko su opisani procesi proizvodnje čelika u kojima troska nastaje, mehanička i fizikalno-kemijska svojstva elektropećne troske te mogućnosti njene uporabe u drugim procesima i djelatnostima. Najveća pozornost posvećena je svojstvu radioaktivnosti, odnosno aktivnosti 40K, 232Th i 226Ra, koji su najčešći radioaktivni izotopi u trosci. Korištena su prijašnja znanstvena istraživanja, na temelju kojih se može doći do zaključaka kako je uporaba elektropećne troske u drugim procesima i djelatnostima ne samo sigurna, već i poželjna.During the metallurgical production of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and their alloys, pollutants of inorganic and organic origin are produced, as well as different production waste and by-products. One of the most significant production residues is steel slag, that is generated by production of steel in Basic Oxygen Furnaces (BOF), Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) and processes of secondary metallurgy, and should be considered a by-product rather than a production waste. This paper briefly describes steel production processes in which the slag is generated, EAF slags physical-chemical properties, and the possibility of its application in other processes and activities. The most attention was dedicated to the property of radioactivity, or rather to the activity concentrations of 40K, 232Th and 226Ra, which are the most common radioactive isotopes found in steel slag. Previous scientific research was used, based on which a conclusion can be drawn that the use od EAF slag in other processes and activities is not only safe, but also desirable