NORM emissions from heavy oil and natural gas fired power plants in Syria.

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) have been determined in fly and bottom ash collected from four major Syrian power plants fired by heavy oil and natural gas. (210)Pb and (210)Po were the main NORM radionuclides detected in the fly and bottom ash. (210)Pb activity concentrations have reached 3393±10 Bq kg(-1) and 4023±7 Bq kg(-1) in fly ash and bottom ash, respectively; lower values of (210)Po were observed due to its high volatility. In addition, (210)Po and (210)Pb annual emissions in bottom ash from mixed (heavy oil and natural gas) fired power plants varied between 2.7×10(9)-7.95×10(9) Bq and 3.5×10(9)-10(10) Bq, respectively; higher emissions of (210)Po and (210)Pb from gas power plants being observed. However, the present study showed that (210)Po and (210)Pb emissions from thermal power plants fired by natural gas are much higher than the coal power plants operated in the World.