Natural Radioactivity and EDXRF Analysis of Ashes from Coal Power Plants of Turkey

Abstract

Natural radioactivity and the chemical composition of ten ash samples collected from six coal power plants of Turkey have been analysed. Gamma-isotopic analysis indicated that all the samples contain Ra•226, U238 and Th-232,But, K-40 and Cs-134 have not been found in the samples in the detection limits. On the other hand, Cs-137 was found only in the ash samples taken from Yatağan coal power plant (603± 15 Bq/kg). Mineralogical analysis of the samples showed that they contained significant amounts or clays and glass. Less amounts of quartz, feldspar and magnetite minerals exist in the samples. Major and minor element analyses of the ash samples were done by X•Ray Fluorescence, XRF/EDXRF, technique. The natural radioactivity of an ash sample taken from the electro-filter of the Ambarlı fuel oil power plant was also anaysed for comparison and iit was found that sample contained the least amount of U-238,Th-232 and Ra-226