Abstract
Partition factors have been calculated to describe the distribution of 38 elements between slag, total fly ash, atmospherically emitted fly ash, and vapors for a coal fired steamplant. These factors have been generalized to other types of boilers, to calculate the annual U.S. discharge of trace elements due to coal combustion for power production. The magnitude of trace element mobilization by coal combustion is compared with industrial consumption of trace elements, and with estimates of their natural mobilization by weathering. Elemental flows due to coal consumption are never less than 1.5% of their weathering mobilization, and coal combustion introduces As, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sc, Se, U, V, and Zn into the environment at rates comparable to their rates of introduction by weathering.
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Operated by Union Carbide Corporation for the USAEC under Contract No. W-7405-eng-26.
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Klein, D.H., Andren, A.W. & Bolton, N.E. Trace element discharges from coal combustion for power production. Water, Air and Soil Pollution 5, 71–77 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00431581
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00431581