![]() ![]() “First, we measure the abundance of certain metals, such as arsenic, selenium and antimony, that we know are more enriched in coal ash than in normal soil,” Wang said. The new tests are designed to be used together to provide independent corroborations of whether fly ash particles are present in a soil sample and if so, at what proportion to the total soil. ![]() “These new methods complement tests we’ve already developed for tracing coal ash in the environment and expand our range of investigation.” “Being able to trace the contamination back to its source location is essential for protecting public health and identifying where remediation efforts should be focused,” said Zhen Wang, a doctoral student in Vengosh’s lab at Duke, who led the study. Inhaling dust that contains fly ash particles with high levels of toxic metals has been linked to lung and heart disease, cancer, nervous system disorders and other ill effects. When soil contaminated with fly ash is disturbed or dug up, dust containing the ash can be transported through the air into nearby homes and other indoor environments. “Our new methods give us the ability to do that – with high level of certainty.”Ĭoal combustion residuals are the largest industrial solid wastes produced in the United States. “Because of the size of these particles, it’s been challenging to detect them and measure how much fly ash has accumulated,” said Avner Vengosh, Distinguished Professor of Environmental Quality at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment. Over time, these particles can accumulate in soil downwind from the plant, potentially posing risks to environment and human health. ![]() While the majority of fly ash is captured by traps in the power plant and disposed to coal ash impoundments and landfills, some escapes and is emitted into the environment. The tiny fly ash particles, which are often microscopic in size, contain high concentrations of arsenic, selenium and other toxic elements, many of which have been enriched through the combustion process. The tests are specifically designed to analyze soil for the presence of fly ash particles so small other tests might miss them.įly ash is part of coal combustion residuals (CCRs) that are generated when a power plant burns pulverized coal. – Scientists at Duke University have developed a suite of four new tests that can be used to detect coal ash contamination in soil with unprecedented sensitivity. ![]()
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