Relationship Between the Chemical Composition and Radioactive Content of Fly Ash and Bottom Ash from Thermoelectric Power Plants

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Fly ash is produced in thermoelectric power plants and is commonly used in the construction industry due to its pozzolanic properties. This study investigates the relationship between the chemical composition and the radioactive content of fly ash (FA) from 10 different samples and bottom ash (BA) from one of these samples. The results indicate a significant correlation between the chemical composition of FA and its content of natural radionuclides from the uranium and thorium series, along with K40. The oxides P2O5, K2O, and Na2O exhibited a greater influence compared to Fe2O3 and Al2O3 in relation to the radioactive content of FA. Furthermore, the presence of CaO and SO3 showed an inverse relationship with the content of natural radionuclides from the uranium series. On the other hand, the radionuclides of the thorium series were associated with the presence of the oxides Al2O3 and TiO2. FA and BA exhibited significant differences in their composition, with higher activity concentrations in BA than in FA, except for Pb210 and K40. The most critical estimated annual effective dose for workers was 43.7 μSv y−1, indicating no significant radiological risk for workers.