Natural radionuclide emission from coal-fired power plants in the southwestern of Turkey and the population exposure to external radiation in their vicinity

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of radionuclide emission on the environment from Yatagan, Yenikoy and Kemerkoy coal-fired power plants which are located in southwestern Anatolia of Turkey, the concentrations of natural radionuclides such as (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in coal, bottom ash and fly ash samples, have been measured, as well as the concentration of the same radionuclides in surface soils. The dose rate arises from the total radioactivity content of soil that the people living by the power plants are exposed to be assessed additionally. The average activity concentrations of (226)Ra for Yatagan CPP is 80 ± 22 Bq kg(-1) ranging from 56 to 131 Bq kg(-1), for Yenikoy CPP is 138 ± 20 Bq kg(-1) ranging from 115 to 189 Bq kg(-1), for Kemerkoy CPP is 238 ± 80 Bq kg(-1) ranging from 134 to 356 Bq kg(-1) in coal; average activity concentrations of (226)Ra in fly ash and in bottom ash for above-mentioned power plants are 334 ± 60 Bq kg(-1) ranging from 291 to 481 Bq kg(-1), 461 ± 33 Bq kg(-1) ranging from 398 to 511 Bq kg(-1), 815 ± 254 Bq kg(-1) ranging from 316 to 1260 Bq kg(-1), 276 ± 51 Bq kg(-1) ranging from 222 to 349 Bq kg(-1), 285 ± 69 Bq kg(-1) ranging from 213 to 409 Bq kg(-1), 743 ± 234 Bq kg(-1) ranging from 366 to 1098 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radionuclides activity concentrations of surface soil in the vicinity of coal-fired power plants are 32 ± 9 Bq kg(-1) (18-53 Bq kg(-1)) for (226)Ra, 37 ± 16 Bq kg(-1) (17-89 Bq kg(-1)) for (232)Th, 455 ± 165 Bq kg(-1) (203-794 Bq kg(-1)) for (40)K relevant to Yatagan CPP; 42 ± 30 Bq kg(-1) (9-168 Bq kg(-1)) for (226)Ra, 32 ± 14 Bq kg(-1) (6-74 Bq kg(-1)) for (232)Th, 365 ± 151 Bq kg(-1) (117-937 Bq kg(-1)) for (40)K relevant to Yenikoy and Kemerkoy CPP. As a result, average dose rates in the vicinity of coal-fired power plants have been calculated to be 56 ± 16 nGy h(-1) ranging from 30 to 100 nGy h(-1) for Yatagan CPP, 54 ± 22 nGy h(-1) ranging from 15 to 126 nGy h(-1) for Yenikoy and Kemerkoy CPP. To sum up, the natural radionuclide activity concentrations of burnt coal and ashes thrown out from these three power plants are quite high relative to the world average UNSCEAR[1] data. In addition, the average (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K activity concentration values of surface soil samples and the calculated gamma dose rates in the vicinity of power plants were located within the worldwide intervals reported by UNSCEAR,[30] with some local differences.

Gross alpha and beta radioactivity in surface soil and drinkable water around a steel processing facility

“…Often in radioactivity research, attentions are mostly given to gamma emitters detection and quantification even in an environment where it is possible to have alpha and beta emitters (Gu & Yaprak, 2010;Lu et al, 2012;Mehade Hassan, Ali, Paul, Haydar & Islam, 2014). While it is true that gamma rays have the highest penetrating power when compared to alpha and beta particles, the effects of alpha and beta particles within the body either through inhalation or ingestion are far more detrimental because of their ionising power.…”

A preliminary study of geological variation of in-situ gamma dose rate in the vicinity of coal-fired power plants

“…During the combustion, the radioactive contents in ash increase to a certain extent in comparison with those in feed coals, which is expressed by enrichment factor -the ratio between activity concentration in ash and activity concentration in feed coal [21][22][23] . The degree of enrichment depends on many factors such as particle size and CFPP technology, particularly, the enrichment factor in fly ash is considered to be higher than those in bottom ash as many researchers previously investigated 21,24 .…”

Environmental Impacts of Coal-Mining and Coal-Fired Power-Plant Activities in a Developing Country with Global Context

“…Pollutants are released from CTP in different form and stages of the processing system, i.e., before (coal storage, processing), during combustion (flue gas), and after combustion processes and CCRs deposition, transportation, and utilization to the ambient environments as in the form of the gaseous phase, solid, and liquid discharges (Dai et al 2007(Dai et al , 2008(Dai et al , 2012(Dai et al , 2014aDragović et al 2013;Mahur et al 2013;Saikia et al 2014Saikia et al , 2015aSaikia et al , b, 2016Karamanis et al 2009). Some studies working on the NORMs contamination due to the coal-burning appeal for a trivial influence of radioactivity originated from CCRs on the soil environment (e.g., Habib et al 2019b;Papaefthymiou et al 2013;Charro and Pena 2013;Rosner et al 1984), whereas other studies (e.g., Gören et al 2017;Parial et al 2016;Liu et al 2015;Mandal and Sengupta 2006;Ćujić et al 2015Flues et al 2002;Amin et al 2013;Gür and Yaprak 2010;Lu et al 2012aLu et al , b, 2013Dai et al 2007;Bem et al 2002;Papp et al 2002) have demonstrated that a significant augmentation of NORM's content in the soil around CTP, mostly owing to the higher abundance of 238 U and 226 Ra in feed coals and associated CCRs (Table 24.10). However, it is essential to determine the level of NORMs and associated impacts on the ambient environment and on human health around CTPs.…”