Trace element and radiological characterisation of ash and soil at a legacy site in the former Raša coal-mining area.
| Autor: | Bituh T; 1Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Division of Radiation Protection, Zagreb, Croatia., Peco J; 2University of Zagreb Faculty of Science, Department of Geology, Division of Mineralogy and Petrology, Zagreb, Croatia., Mihalić IB; 3Ruđer Bošković Institute, Laboratory for Ion Beam Interactions, Zagreb, Croatia., Gouasmia S; 3Ruđer Bošković Institute, Laboratory for Ion Beam Interactions, Zagreb, Croatia., Grlić M; 4University of Zagreb Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Zagreb, Croatia., Petrinec B; 1Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Division of Radiation Protection, Zagreb, Croatia.; 5Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Osijek, Croatia. |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Zdroj: | Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju [Arh Hig Rada Toksikol] 2024 Dec 29; Vol. 75 (4), pp. 245-258. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Dec 29 (Print Publication: 2024). |
| DOI: | 10.2478/aiht-2024-75-3897 |
| Abstrakt: | Coal mined in the shut-down Raša mine in Istria, Croatia had a high organic sulphur content. What has remained of its local combustion is a coal and ash waste (legacy site) whose trace element and radionuclide composition in soil has enduring consequences for the environment. The aim of this study was to follow up on previous research and investigate the potential impact on surrounding soil and local residents by characterising the site's ash and soil samples collected in two field campaigns. Trace elements were analysed using particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis. Radionuclides, namely 232 Th, 238 U, 226 Ra, 210 Pb, and 40 K, were analysed with high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. PIXE analysis confirms previous findings, whereas radionuclide analysis shows higher activity concentrations of 238 U, 226 Ra, and 210 Pb in ash samples than the worldwide average, and the absorbed dose rates for local residents are up to four times higher than background levels. Our findings confirm the need of investigating coal industry legacy sites and the importance of remediation of such sites. (© 2024 Tomislav Bituh et al., published by Sciendo.) |
| Databáze: | MEDLINE |
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