The occurrence and distribution of yttrium and rare earth elements (REYs), along with major elements and heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) in coal fly ash (CFA) from five coal-fired power plants (CFPPs), were analyzed, and the REY-associated ecological and health risks were assessed. The individual REYs in CFA were abundant in the following order: Ce > La > Nd > Y > Pr > Gd > Sm > Dy > Er > Yb > Eu > Ho > Tb > Tm > Lu. The total REY content ranged from 135 to 362 mg/kg, averaging 302 mg/kg.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadioactive materials released during the two most serious nuclear accidents in history, at Chernobyl and Fukushima, caused exceptionally significant contamination and perturbations of the environment. Among them, this paper focuses on the effects related to the atmospheric electricity (AE). Measurements of the most significant disturbances in the values of various AE parameters recorded near ground level are reviewed and the corresponding results are jointly evaluated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAs an inert radioactive gas, Rn could be easily transported to the atmosphere via emanation, migration, or exhalation. Research measurements pointed out that Rn activity concentration changes during the winter and summer months, as well as during wet and dry season periods. Changes in radon concentration can affect the atmospheric electric field.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis paper presents the environmental radiation risk assessment based on two software program approaches ERICA Tool (version 1.2) and RESRAD BIOTA (version 1.5) to estimate dose rates to terrestrial biota in the area around the largest coal fired power plant in Serbia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrimordial radionuclides, (238)U, (232)Th and (40)K were determined in soil samples collected at two depths (0-10 and 10-20 cm) in the vicinity of the largest coal-fired power plant in Serbia, and their spatial distribution was analysed using ordinary kriging. Mean values of activity concentrations for these depths were 50.7 Bq kg(-1) for (238)U, 48.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, the specific activity of (137)Cs was determined by gamma-ray spectrometry in 72 surface soil samples and 11 soil profiles collected from the territory of Belgrade 25 years after the Chernobyl accident. Based on the data obtained the external effective gamma dose rates due to (137)Cs were assessed and geographically mapped. The influence of pedogenic factors (pH, specific electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, organic matter content, soil particle size and carbonate content) on the spatial and vertical distribution of (137)Cs in soil was estimated through Pearson correlations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe specific activities of natural radionuclides ((40)K, (226)Ra and (232)Th) and Chernobyl-derived (137)Cs were measured in soil profiles representing typical soil types of Belgrade (Serbia): chernozems, fluvisols, humic gleysols, eutric cambisols, vertisols and gleyic fluvisols. The influence of soil properties and content of stable elements on radionuclide distribution down the soil profiles (at 5 cm intervals up to 50 cm depth) was analysed. Correlation analysis identified associations of (40)K, (226)Ra and (137)Cs with fine-grained soil fractions.
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