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Cd, Cr, Co, Pb, and Cu metals in surface and groundwater adjacent to a thermal power plant in eastern India

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Abstract

In this investigation, metals of environmental concern, Cd, Cr, Co, Pb and Cu, are identified in the feed coal of thermal power plant from eastern India. The concentrations (0.56–10.3 µg/g) of these metals are enriched (one- to twofold) in fly and bottom ash during combustion. Additionally, a noticeable presence of Cd, Cr, Co, Pb, and Cu was also observed on the surface (0.26–5.6 µg/l) and groundwater (0.12–2.65 µg/l) of the neighbouring power plant, which focuses on the contribution of combustion ashes in the water contamination of these elements. The analytical result shows that rainwater has a greater influence on the rapid transportation of these elements into the surface water than groundwater. The mobility of such metals of environmental concern from the combustion ashes into the surface and groundwater may pose a risk to the ecosystem. A regular monitoring of chemical quality of coal as well as expert dumping custom, chemical treatment before disposal and recycling of combustion residues are the essential steps for clean energy generation and safe environment.

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Acknowledgements

The corresponding author duly acknowledges the support of ‘Science and Engineering Research Board’, Government of India (File No. PDF/2016/02999/EAS), for carrying out the research.

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  1. School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700032, India

    Debasree Saha, Tarit Roychowdhury & Anuja Joseph

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal, 741235, India

    Debashis Chatterjee

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  1. Debasree Saha
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This article is part of a Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on Groundwater quality and contamination and the application of GIS, guest edited by Narsimha Adimalla and Hui Qian.

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Saha, D., Roychowdhury, T., Chatterjee, D. et al. Cd, Cr, Co, Pb, and Cu metals in surface and groundwater adjacent to a thermal power plant in eastern India. Environ Earth Sci 81, 31 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-10148-0

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