Survey of the potential environmental and health impacts in the immediate aftermath of the coal ash spill in Kingston, Tennessee.

dc.contributor.author

Ruhl, L

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Vengosh, A

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Dwyer, GS

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Hsu Kim, H

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Deonarine, A

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Bergin, M

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Kravchenko, J

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United States

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2013-04-29T18:48:35Z

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2009-08-15

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An investigation of the potential environmental and health impacts in the immediate aftermath of one of the largest coal ash spills in U.S. history at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston coal-burning power plant has revealed three major findings. First the surface release of coal ash with high levels of toxic elements (As = 75 mg/kg; Hg = 150 microg/kg) and radioactivity (226Ra + 228Ra = 8 pCi/g) to the environment has the potential to generate resuspended ambient fine particles (< 10 microm) containing these toxics into the atmosphere that may pose a health risk to local communities. Second, leaching of contaminants from the coal ash caused contamination of surface waters in areas of restricted water exchange, but only trace levels were found in the downstream Emory and Clinch Rivers due to river dilution. Third, the accumulation of Hg- and As-rich coal ash in river sediments has the potential to have an impact on the ecological system in the downstream rivers by fish poisoning and methylmercury formation in anaerobic river sediments.

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19746733

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0013-936X

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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/6943

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eng

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American Chemical Society (ACS)

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Environ Sci Technol

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Carbon

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Coal

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Coal Ash

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Data Collection

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Environment

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Environmental Pollution

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Geography

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Geologic Sediments

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Health

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Metals

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Particulate Matter

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Radioactive Pollutants

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Rivers

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Tennessee

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Water Pollutants, Chemical

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Water Pollution

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Survey of the potential environmental and health impacts in the immediate aftermath of the coal ash spill in Kingston, Tennessee.

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Journal article

duke.contributor.orcid

Vengosh, A|0000-0001-8928-0157

pubs.author-url

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19746733

pubs.begin-page

6326

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6333

pubs.issue

16

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Civil and Environmental Engineering

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Clinical Science Departments

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Duke

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Earth and Ocean Sciences

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Environmental Sciences and Policy

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Nicholas School of the Environment

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Pratt School of Engineering

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School of Medicine

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Staff

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Surgery

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Surgery, Surgical Sciences

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Published

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43

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