dispersal, the fly ash may additionally contaminate soil, with
subsequent uptake by plants and animals, also potentially penetrating into ground water, all routes leading to human exposure.
The concentration of natural radionuclide in the fly ash is
higher as compared with coal, also being appreciably more than
that of bottom ash (see for instance,Sabuti and Mohamed, 2012).
This concentration enhancement can be up to more than one order
of magnitude (Table 1)(UNSCEAR, 1982). This would qualifyfly ash
as technologically enhanced naturally occuring radioactive material (TENROM), potentially posing a health hazard to the power
plant workers and the general public around the plant. The main
pathways of radiation exposure of the power plant staff and
population living around the plants are: inhalation during the
passage of the plume, external exposure, and inhalation and
ingestion resulting from radionuclides deposited on the ground
(UNSCEAR, 1998)