Pages: 388-391

Authors: Gordana S. Vitorović, Branislava M. Mitrović, Velibor Dj. Andrić,Mirjana D. Stojanović, Mirjana V. Lazarević-Macanović, and Duško P. Vitorović

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the coal mine in Lazarevac, and the coal-fired power stations in Obrenovac, on the activity concentrations of radionuclides 40K, ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, and ¹³⁷Cs in some parts of human food chain of people living in the surrounding area. The obtained results showed that natural environment around the examined coal mine and the coal-fired power stations are not significantly affected by the emission of primordial radionuclides. The activity concentrations of ²³⁸U in the soil around the open coal mine and the coal processing installations (66.4-76.0 Bq/kg) and in the soil around the coal-fired power stations (55.5-61.2 Bq/kg) were not significantly higher than the average values in Serbia. The significant increase in the activity concentrations of natural radioisotopes in the samples of soil, vegetation, and animal products, was not confirmed. Food of animal origin used in human consumption is safe, i. e. not contaminated by radiation.

Key words: food chain, radioactivity, coal mine, coal-fired power station

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