210Pb and 210Po in fossil fuel combustion at the Sostanj thermal power plant (Slovenia)

The main aim of the present study was to evaluate 210Pb and 210Po emissions from the Sostanj TPP and to evaluate their mass balance in unit 4. Samples of coal, fly ash, slag and flue gases were analysed for 210Pb and 210Po content. The results showed that these radionuclides are mostly concentrated in ash (71% and 81% for 210Pb and 210Po, respectively). Only a small part of the input activity was detected in flue gases. The activities of 210Pb and 210Po in unit 4 were from 1.1 to 2.7 Bq m-3 and from 0.37 to 0.56 Bq m-3, respectively. The mass balance of the two radionuclides in unit 4 show only 6 and 10 % differences between the annual activities of the input and output samples. (author)