Abstract
Elemental concentrations and specific activity values of natural radionuclides were measured in lignite, bottom ash and fly ash samples collected from the Megalopolis power plant A in southern Greece, using nuclear analytical techniques. The results show that the elements As, Br, Mo, Sb, Se, and U were enriched in the lignite samples, the elements Mo, Se and U in bottom ash, while fly ash samples were enriched in As, Mo, Sb, Se and U. Specific activity measurements also show that 238U (226Ra) activity values in lignite and both ash samples were high relative to the corresponding data for coal and earth crust given in the literature. As a high quantity of fly ash is produced during the operation of the lignite power plant A, this power plant should be considered as a major source of air particulate pollution and radiation to the population living in the vicinity of lignite burning power plant.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
D. J. Swaine, Trace Elements in Coal, Butterworths, London, 1990.
L. B. Clarke, Sloss , Trace Elements — Emissions from Coal Combustion and Gasification, IEA Coal Research, IEACR/49, London, 1992.
G. A. Norton, K. L. Malaby, E. L. Dekalb, Environ. Sci. Technol., 22 (1988) 1279.
R. D. Smith, J. A. Cambell, K. K. Nielson, Atmos. Environ., 13 (1979) 607.
M. Manolopoulou, C. Papastefanou, J. Environ. Radioact., 16 (1992) 261.
I. Bogdanović, S. Fazinić, S. Itskos, M. Jaksić, E. Karydas, V. Katselis, T. Paradellis, T. Tadić, O. Valković, V. Valcović, Nucl. Instr. Meth., B99 (1995) 402.
W. S. Seams, J. O. L. Wendt, Adv. Environ. Res., 4 (2000) 45.
A. Arditsoglou, Ch. Petaloti, E. Terzi, M. Sofoniou, C. Samara, Sci. Total Environ., 323 (2004) 153.
B. J. Finlayson-Pitts, J. N. Pitts Jr., Chemistry of the Upper and Lower Atmosphere, Academic Press, 2000, p. 22.
M. Xu, R. Yan, C. Zheng, Y. Qiao, J. Han, C. Sheng, Fuel Process. Technol., 85 (2003) 215.
H. Papaefthymiou, P. Kritidis, J. Anousis, J. Sarafidou, J. Environ. Radioact., 78 (2005) 249.
H. Papaefthymiou, J. Anousis, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., in press.
V. Sakorafa, K. Michailidis, F. Burragato, Fuel, 75 (1996) 419.
IAEA, TECDOC-435, Vienna, 1987.
W. D. Ehmann, S. W. Yates, Anal. Chem., 60 (1988) 42R.
J. Al-Jundi, Nucl. Instr. Meth., B170 (2000) 180.
E. Steinnes, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 243 (2000) 235.
S. Landsberger, Chem. Geol. 57 (1986) 415.
P. N. Dimotakis, H. Papaefthymiou, A. Sringer, L. Goetz, J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem., 127 (1988) 133.
A. Georgakopoulos, A. Filippidis, A. Kassoli-Fournaraki, A. Iordanidis, J.-L. Fernandez-Turiel, J.-F. Llorens, D. Gimeno, Energy Sources, 24 (2002) 83.
S. R. Taylor, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 28 (1972) 1273.
IAEA, Sampling and Analytical Methodologies for Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis of Airborne Particulate Matter, Training Course Series, No. 4, 1992.
X. Querol, T. J. L. Fernandez, S. A. Lopez, Fuel, 74 (1995) 331.
W. P. Linak, J. O. L. Wendt, Fuel Process. Technol., 39 (1994) 173.
W. Maenhaut, O. Royset, M. Vadset, E. I. Kauppinen, T. M. Lind, Nucl. Instr. Meth., B75 (1993) 266.
C. L. Senior, T. Zeng, J. Che, M. R. Ames, A. F. Sarofim, I. Olmez, F. E. Huggins, N. Shah, G. P. Huffman, A. Kolker, S. Mroczkowski, C. Palmer, R. Finkelman, Fuel Process. Technol., 63 (2000) 215.
R. B. Finkelman, Fuel Process. Technol., 39 (1994) 21.
UNSCEAR, Ionizing Radiation: Sources and Biological Effects, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, Report to the General Assembly with Annexes, United Nations, New York, 1982.
UNSCEAR, Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Report to the General Assembly with Scientific Annexes, United Nations, New York, Vol. I: Sources, 2000.
D. G. Coles, R. C. Ragaini, J. M. Ondov, Environ. Sci. Technol., 12 (1978) 442.
S. E. Simopoulos, M. G. Angelopoulos, J. Environ. Radioact., 5 (1987) 379.
C. Papastefanou, St. Charalambous, Z. Naturforsch., 34a (1979) 533.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Papaefthymiou, H., Symeopoulos, B.D. & Soupioni, M. Neutron activation analysis and natural radioactivity measurements of lignite and ashes from Megalopolis basin, Greece. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 274, 123–130 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-006-6880-6
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-006-6880-6