Preliminary radiological impact assessment of western coal utilization

Conference · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:5388610

Styron, C. E.; Robinson, B.

This research program was initiated to: (1) delineate the scope of the potential environmental and human health problem associated with radioactivity in Western coal; (2) establish a data base for /sup 234/U, /sup 238/U, /sup 210/Pb, /sup 210/Po, /sup 230/Th and /sup 226/Ra found in Western coal; (3) study the release, fate, and accumulation of radionuclides from a power plant burning Western coal; and (4) assess the possible need for additional control technology and/or standards. Preliminary results indicate that radionuclides may be made available to the environment from burning Western coal. Lead-210 in coal used at the power plant averaged 0.79 pCi/g, /sup 210/Pb in soil averaged 0.70 pCi/g, and /sup 210/Pb in/on vegetation in the environs of the power plant ranged from 2.23 to 5.70 pCi/g. These values for /sup 210/Pb in soil are in the range of natural background, but plants appear to have slightly elevated concentrations. Preliminary dose evaluations for /sup 210/Pb alone indicated that individuals whose total vegetation intake was grown in this area could receive as much as 400 mrem/yr to the kidney, which is below the current standard of 500 mrem/yr. Although no health hazard has been identified, additional studies of /sup 210/Pb concentrations in/on vegetation and of dose evaluations are being undertaken.

• Research Organization: Mound Lab., Miamisburg, Ohio (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0053
• OSTI ID: 5388610
• Report Number(s): MLM-2470(OP); CONF-771113-7
• Resource Relation: Conference: 4. joint conference on sensing of environmental pollutants, New Orleans, LA, USA, 6 Nov 1977
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
FOOD CHAINS
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
HEALTH HAZARDS
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
LEAD 210
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
PLANTS
POLONIUM 210
RADIUM 226
RADON 222
THORIUM 230
URANIUM 234
URANIUM 238
AIR POLLUTION
ASHES
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
COAL
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FLY ASH
LIGNITE
RADIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SOILS
SUBBITUMINOUS COAL
TRACE AMOUNTS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
AEROSOL WASTES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOMASS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HAZARDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LEAD ISOTOPES
MASS TRANSFER
NUCLEI
POLLUTION
POLONIUM ISOTOPES
POWER PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM ISOTOPES
RADON ISOTOPES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESIDUES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THORIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM ISOTOPES
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
010900* - Coal
Lignite
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016000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Health & Safety
500300 - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
200202 - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Waste Management- Noxious Gas & Particulate Emissions
510300 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)