title: The environmental geochemistry of trace elements and naturally radionuclides in a coal gangue brick-making plant.
abstract: An investigation focused on the transformation and distribution behaviors of trace elements and natural radionuclides around a coal gangue brick plant was conducted. Simultaneous sampling of coal gangue, brick, fly ash and flue gas were implemented. Soil, soybean and earthworm samples around the brick plant were also collected for comprehensive ecological assessment. During the firing process, trace elements were released and redistributed in the brick, fly ash and the flue gas. Elements can be divided into two groups according to their releasing characteristics, high volatile elements (release ratio higher than 30%) are represented by Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se and Sn, which emitted mainly in flue gas that would travel and deposit at the northeast and southwest direction around the brick plant. Cadmium, Ni and Pb are bio-accumulated in the soybean grown on the study area, which indicates potential health impacts in case of human consumption. The high activity of natural radionuclides in the atmosphere around the plant as well as in the made-up bricks will increase the health risk of respiratory system.
authors.affiliation: 1] CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China [2] State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710075, China [3] State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution and Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Chuncai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: 1] CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China [2] State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710075, China.
authors.forename: Guijian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors.forename: Siwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution and Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Paul K S
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D003032:Coal Mining; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000378:metabolism; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D013025:Glycine max / Q000378:metabolism; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D012987:Soil; D014131:Trace Elements; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D002119:Calcium Carbonate