Alkalinization of soil through thermal power plant fly ash fallout

Fly ash fallout rates in the vicinity of a thermal power station of 540 MW capacity were measured in tonnes per square kilometer per month for 6 months of the post-rainy period from October to March. The concentrations of the alkali metals (Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs) and alkaline earth metals (Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in a number of fly ash samples collected at selected sites in the vicinity of the thermal power plant. These elements were also determined in soil samples collected from different depths to ascertain the leach profile, and also in samples collected from contamination-free areas. Conclusions with regard to the enrichment of alkali and alkaline-earth metals in the soil horizon in the vicinity of the thermal power plant are discussed.