Utilisation of a low power reactor for instrumental neutron activation analysis of 40 elements in coal

Abstract

Coal is mostly used as an energy source for power generation and in local brick kilns in Pakistan, which causes environmental pollution problems due to the release of toxic constituents. Elemental characterisation provides useful information regarding the nature of environmental pollutants to which coal workers and adjacent terrain are exposed and circumscribes different elements as they exist in the coal. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis employing a low power Miniature Neutron Source Reactor has been used for the determination of 40 major, minor, and trace elements in coal. Bituminous, sub-bituminous and lignite coal varieties of Pakistan were analysed which show that bituminous coal from Salt Range contains lower amount of toxic elements. The quality of the analysed data has been assured by a simultaneous analysis of the IAEA and NBS/NIST Certified Reference Materials. The data will be useful for extrapolating the extent of elemental emission through the combustion of these coals. Enrichment factors calculated for these elements in coal show high values for As, Br, Cl, Dy, Hg, Mo, Sb, and Se, indicating difference in geochemistry and growth environment of the coal deposits. Elemental concentrations of our coal varieties have been compared with those of other countries.