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A GIS-Based Approach for Radiation Risk Assessment Around a Thermal Power Plant Towards Adopting Remedial Measures


Affiliations
1 Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721 302, India
2 Department of Science and Technology and Biotechnology, Government of West Bengal, Kolkata 700 091, India
 

Coal combustion in thermal power plants releases ash, which is reported to cause adverse health hazards in humans and other organisms. Owing to the presence of radionuclides, it is also considered as a potential radiation hazard. In this study, based on the surface radiation measurements and relevant ancillary data, expected radiation risk zones were identified with regard to human population residing near a thermal power plant using GIS. With population density as the vulnerability determining criterion, about 20% of the study area was in the ‘high’ risk zone and another 20% in the ‘low’ risk zone. The remaining 60% was under ‘medium’ risk zone. Based on the findings of this study, greenbelt locations have been proposed as a remedial measure.

Keywords

Geographic Information System, Radiation Risk Analysis, Remedial Measures, Surface Radiation, Thermal Power Plant.
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  • A GIS-Based Approach for Radiation Risk Assessment Around a Thermal Power Plant Towards Adopting Remedial Measures

Abstract Views: 381  |  PDF Views: 138

Authors

Kajori Parial
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721 302, India
S. Mukherjee
Department of Science and Technology and Biotechnology, Government of West Bengal, Kolkata 700 091, India
A. R. Ghosh
Department of Science and Technology and Biotechnology, Government of West Bengal, Kolkata 700 091, India
D. Sengupta
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721 302, India

Abstract


Coal combustion in thermal power plants releases ash, which is reported to cause adverse health hazards in humans and other organisms. Owing to the presence of radionuclides, it is also considered as a potential radiation hazard. In this study, based on the surface radiation measurements and relevant ancillary data, expected radiation risk zones were identified with regard to human population residing near a thermal power plant using GIS. With population density as the vulnerability determining criterion, about 20% of the study area was in the ‘high’ risk zone and another 20% in the ‘low’ risk zone. The remaining 60% was under ‘medium’ risk zone. Based on the findings of this study, greenbelt locations have been proposed as a remedial measure.

Keywords


Geographic Information System, Radiation Risk Analysis, Remedial Measures, Surface Radiation, Thermal Power Plant.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv116%2Fi10%2F1683-1689