Elemental composition studies of fugitive and ambient air dust particulates from a thermal power station by instrumental neutron activation analysis

Abstract

In order to assess the source of pollutants and the atmosphere quality in and around a thermal power plant, fugitive dust particulates from seven different locations and ambient air dust from six locations have been analyzed for 32 elements (As, Au, Ba, Br, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Eu, Fe, Ga, Hg, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Ta, Tb, Te, Th, W and Yb) by employing instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The method involves the irradiation of samples and comparator standards in a thermal neutron flux range of 1012−1013n·cm−2·s−1 in a nuclear reactor for 10 min and 1 day followed by high resolution γ-spectrometry. Wide differences have been observed in the mean elemental concentrations of Fe, Co, Br, Mn, As, P. Ba and Cu in fugitive and ambient dust particulates coliected from these different locations. Further, a comparison of the elemental contents of the dust particulates from the plant with environmental standards (Urban Particulate Matter, Coal Fly Ash, Vehicle Exhaust and Coal) show significantly lower or comparable amounts of toxic and pollutant elements in the environmental samples.