Sains Malaysiana 48(8)(2019): 1655–1660

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2019-4808-11

Determination of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides in Coal and Industrial Fly Ash by Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) and Gamma Spectrometry

(Pengenalpastian Logam Berat dan Radionuklid pada Arang dan Abu Terbang Industri melalui Analisis Pengaktifan Neutron (NAA) dan Spektroskopi Gamma)

WADEEAH M. AL-AREQI¹, AIMAN. M. BOBAKER²*, INTISAR ALAKILI², AMRAN AB. MAJID³ & SUKIMAN SARMANI⁴

¹Radiation Exposure and Laboratory General Directorate, National Atomic Energy Commission (NATEC), Sana’a, Yemen

²Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya

³Nuclear Science Programme, School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

⁴University of Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50540 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

Received: 24 February 2019/Accepted: 24 May 2019

ABSTRACT

Coal-fired power plants and industrial waste (IW) incinerators increasingly dispose large amounts of fly ash that cause environmental contamination by toxic heavy metals. This study aimed to investigate the concentration of heavy metals and measure the specific activity of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) that remain in the fly ash of coal power plants and industrial incinerators. Ash samples were collected from the Kapar and Jana Manjung coal-fired power plants and the Kualiti Alam industrial incinerator in Malaysia. The concentrations of As, Ba, Co, Cr, Fe, Sb, Zn, Th and U were determined via neutron activation analysis (NAA). Results indicated that the highest concentrations of heavy metals in Kapar and Jana Manjung coal fly ash were 27 012 and 57 500 mg/kg for Fe and 494 and 1,119 mg/kg for Ba, respectively, and the lowest concentrations for Sb were at 3.67 and 2.23 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of Fe, Zn, Ba and Cr in industrial fly ash were 31 0007, 7 675, 2 760 and 1,029 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of As, Ba, Cr, Fe and Zn were higher in industrial fly ash than in coal fly ash. The specific activity concentrations of NORM, namely, 40K, 226Ra, 232Th and 238U determined by gamma spectrometry in Kapar coal fly ash were 321.65, 27.42, 134.41 and 152.71 Bq/kg, respectively. Elemental concentration results indicated that the amounts of heavy metals depended on feed sources and combustion temperatures. Most heavy metal contents and radionuclides in power plant and incinerator fly ash were significantly lower or within the global ranges.

Keywords: Fly ash; heavy metals; naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM); Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA)

ABSTRAK

Loji janakuasa berasaskan arang batu dan insinerator sisa industri (IW) berterusan melepaskan sejumlah besar abu cerobong yang menyebabkan pencemaran alam sekitar disebabkan kandungan logam berat bertoksik. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji kepekatan logam berat dan mengukur aktiviti khusus bahan radioaktif terjadi secara alami (NORM) yang masih bersisa di dalam abu cerobong dari loji janakuasa arang batu dan insinerator industri. Sampel abu telah diambil dari loji janakuasa arang batu Kapar dan Jana Manjung dan insinerator industri Kualiti Alam di Malaysia. Kepekatan As, Ba, Co, Cr, Fe, Sb, Zn, Th dan U ditentukan melalui analisis pengaktifan neutron (NAA). Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa kepekatan tertinggi logam berat dalam sisa abu cerobong di Kapar dan Jana Manjung adalah 27,012 dan 57,500 mg/kg untuk Fe dan 494 dan 1 119 mg/kg untuk Ba, dan kepekatan terendah bagi Sb adalah 3.67 dan 2.23 mg/kg. Kepekatan Fe, Zn, Ba dan Cr dalam industri abu cerobong adalah 31,0007, 7,675, 2,760 dan 1,029 mg/kg. Kepekatan As, Ba, Cr, Fe dan Zn adalah lebih tinggi dalam abu cerobong industri daripada abu cerobong arang batu. Kepekatan aktiviti khusus daripada NORM, iaitu 40K, 226Ra, 232Th dan 238U ditentukan oleh spektroskopi gama di abu cerobong arang batu Kapar masing-masing adalah 321.65, 27.42, 134.41 dan 152.71 Bq/kg. Kepekatan unsur menunjukkan bahawa jumlah logam berat bergantung kepada sumber bekalan dan suhu pembakaran. Kebanyakan kandungan logam berat dan radionuklid di loji janakuasa dan insinerator abu cerobong adalah lebih rendah dengan ketara atau dalam julat global.

Kata kunci: Abu cerobong; analisis pengaktifan neutron (NAA); bahan radioaktif terjadi secara alami (NORM); logam berat

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*Corresponding author; email: aiman.bobaker@uob.edu.ly