Radiological significance of coal, slag and fly ash samples from the Eastern Black Sea region
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N. Damla
Abstract
This work presents a study of natural radioactivity levels in coal and its combustion residues (fly ash and slag) used in the houses in Black Sea Region, Turkey. Coal, fly ash and slag samples were provided from different locations of the region and analyzed by gamma spectroscopy using a high-purity germanium detector (HPGe). Also, chemical analyses of these samples were carried out using energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The mean 226Ra activity concentrations in coal, slag and fly ash were measured as 83, 99 and 38Bqkg–1, respectively. The mean 232Th activity concentrations in coal, slag and fly ash were measured as 108, 113 and 50Bqkg–1, respectively. The mean 40K activity concentrations in coal, slag and fly ash were found to be 366, 381 and 204Bqkg–1, respectively. The potential radiological hazards associated to these materials were evaluated by calculating the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the air absorbed gamma dose rate (D), the annual effective dose rate (AED), the external hazard index (Hex) and internal hazard index (Hin) and compared with the internationally accepted or reference values. The mean Raeq values of the coal, fly ash and slag samples were lower than the recommended maximum values 370Bqkg–1 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The overall mean outdoor terrestrial gamma air absorbed dose rate in coal, fly ash and slag samples are 119, 129 and 62nGyh–1 and the corresponding outdoor annual effective doses are 0.60, 0.32 and 0.64mSvy–1, which is higher than the worldwide average (0.07mSvy–1), respectively. Moreover, the enrichment factors relative to the input coal are calculated for the radionuclide contents observed. Calculated enrichment factor values for 226Ra and 232Th were found 1.14 and 1.01, respectively.
Kurzfassung
Eine Studie über den Gehalt natürlicher Radioaktivität in Kohle und ihren Verbrennungsrückständen (Flugasche und Schlacke) in Wohnhäusern der Region östliches Schwarzes Meer in der Türkei wird vorgestellt. Kohle-, Schlacke- und Flugascheproben aus verschiedenen Orten der Region wurden mit gammaspektrometrischen Methoden unter Verwendung eines hochreinen Germaniumdetektors (HPGe) analysiert. Eine chemische Analyse dieser Proben wurde ebenfalls durchgeführt mit Hilfe energiedispersiver Röntgenfluoreszenzspektrometer. Die mittleren 226Ra-Aktivitätskonzentrationen in Kohle-, Schlacke- und Flugasche lagen bei 83, 99 and 38Bqkg–1. Die mittleren 232Th-Aktivitätskonzentrationen lagen bei 108, 113 and 50Bqkg–1. Die mittleren 40K-Aktivitätskonzentrationen lagen bei 366, 381 and 204Bqkg–1. Potentielle radiologische Gefahren in Verbindung mit diesen Materialien wurden bewertet durch Berechnung der äquivalenten Radiumaktivität (Raeq), der Energiedosisleistung (D) in Luft, der jährlichen effektiven Dosis, des externen Gefahrenindex (Hex) und des internen Gefahrenindex (Hin) und verglichen mit international akzeptierten bzw. Referenzwerten. Dabei lagen die mittleren Raeq Werte von Kohle-, Schlacke- und Flugasche niedriger als der von der OECD empfohlene maximale Werte von 370Bqkg–1. Die mittlere terrestrische Gammaortsdosisleistung in Luft lag für die Kohle-, Schlacke- und Flugascheproben bei 119, 129 and 62nGyh–1 und die entsprechenden Werte der effektive Dosen bei 0.60, 0.32 and 0.64mSvy–1, was höher ist als der weltweite Durchschnittswert (0.07mSvy–1). Des Weiteren wurden die Anreicherungsfaktoren für die beobachteten Radionuklide berechnet, die für 226Ra und 232Th bei 1.14 bzw. 1.01 liegen.
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© 2012, Carl Hanser Verlag, München
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Articles in the same Issue
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Summaries/Kurzfassungen
- Summaries
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- Simulation of HALDEN IFA-650 loss-of-coolant accidents tests with TRACE
- On the evaluation of a fuel assembly design by means of uncertainty and sensitivity measures
- Best estimate plus uncertainty analysis of LBLOCA for Indian PHWR
- Remarks on boiling water reactor stability analysis – part 1: theory and application of bifurcation analysis
- Upgrading (V)HTR fuel elements for generationIV goals by SiC encapsulation
- Investigation of the Ru-43LV fuel behaviour under LOCA conditions in a CANDU reactor
- PCA-based ANN approach to leak classification in the main pipes of VVER-1000
- Analytical investigation of the properties of the neutron noise induced by vibrating absorber and fuel rods
- Diffusion approximation for certain scattering parameters of the Anli-Güngör phase function
- Calculation of beta induced Bremsstrahlung exposure from therapeutic radionuclide 198Au in tissues, DNA and RNA
- Dosimetric aspects of 103Pd radioactive stent source
- Radiological significance of coal, slag and fly ash samples from the Eastern Black Sea region
