Determination of uranium concentrations and its activity ratios in coal and fly ash from Philippine coal-fired thermal power plants using ICP-MS and TIMS

Abstract

The specific activity of 238 U as a technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) in feed coal, bottom and fly ash samples from four major coal-fired thermal power plants in the Philippines have been measured using high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy system equipped with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The uranium concentration has been determined from same samples using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). There was a good correlation between the measured uranium using both methods and has been estimated to be 0.98. Uranium from coal, bottom and fly ash samples were chemically separated and activity ratio ( 234 U/ 238 U) and 235 U/ 238 U ratio was measured using a thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS). The highest concentration of uranium was found in fly ash and lowest was for feed coal. Uranium isotopic composition plays an important role in studying its biogeochemical behavior and is a good tracer on the sources of uranium in the environment.