Chapter 2 - Technologically modified exposure to natural radiation

Abstract

Operations and activities which act to concentrate and redistribute naturally occurring radioactive material in the environment are numerous and further sources continue to be identified. Coal, like most materials found in nature, contains trace quantities of the naturally occurring primordial radionuclides. Therefore, the combustion of coal results in the release to the environment of some natural activity and in the redistribution of that natural activity from deep in the earth to locations where it can modify ambient radiation fields and population radiation exposure. The radionuclides included in the noncombustible mineral matter are thus partitioned between the bottom ash and fly ash, except for the gases and volatilized minerals which will be incorporated directly into the flue gases.