Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in ashes from a fuel-oil power plant in Cienfuegos, Cuba, and the associated radiation hazards

• Published in: Radiation protection dosimetry 2014-03, Vol.158 (4), p.421-426
• Main Authors: Alonso-Hernández, C M, Bernal-Castillo, J, Morera-Gómez, Y, Guillen-Arruebarrena, A, Cartas-Aguila, H A, Acosta-Milián, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; Cuba; Fuel Oils; Geography; Lead Radioisotopes - analysis; Potassium Radioisotopes - analysis; Power Plants; Radiation Monitoring - methods; Radioisotopes - analysis; Radium - analysis; Soil Pollutants, Radioactive - analysis; Spectrometry, Gamma - methods; Thorium - analysis; Uranium - analysis
• ISSN: 0144-8420; 1742-3406
• DOI: 10.1093/rpd/nct237

The radioactivity of NORM was measured in ashes collected from a fuel-oil power plant in Cienfuegos, Cuba, using an HPGe gamma-ray spectrometer. The (226)Ra, (210)Pb, (40)K, (232)Th and (238)U activity concentrations reached 240, 77, 59, 70 and 15 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The potential radiological hazard of these residuals was assessed. The radium equivalent activities of the samples varied from 54 to 345 Bq kg(-1). The gamma index was calculated to be lower than that of the reference values, and the gamma absorbed dose rate was higher than the average reported for the earth's crust; however, the assessed annual effective dose was slightly lower than the annual effective dose limit for public, i.e. 1 mSv. Therefore, these bottom ashes were not dramatically enriched with radionuclides and may be used as an additive for building materials without restrictions from a radiological protection point of view.