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Scientists Develop New Tool To Help Identify Coal Ash In Soil, Water

The Belews Creek Steam Station in Stokes County. KERI BROWN/WFDD

Researchers at Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill have developed a new technique to track the footprint of coal ash in the environment.

The new forensic tracer uses lead isotopes to detect coal fly ash in dust and other solids, including soil and sediments.

It was used to analyze dozens of samples collected from 12 U.S. coal-fired power plants between 2004 and 2013.

Tests show it can distinguish between the chemical signature of lead that comes from coal ash and lead that comes from other sources, including leaded gasoline and lead paint.

Coal ash contains toxic substances and heavy metals, which can leach into groundwater. It's often recycled to make concrete and other products and applied on soil as fill for projects.

Duke University professor Avner Vengosh and his colleagues recently published the results of their study. He says it broadens their ability to assess and monitor exposure risks.

“What we are doing now is really doing the basics of trying to separate and protect the environment and humans from coal ash," says Vengosh. "And we have very cool and exciting new tools to show when you can see it in the environment or not.”

Vengosh says this new method "augments the suite of isotopic tracers we already have developed for tracking coal ash contamination in aquatic environments."

Researchers say it's the first study to provide a systematic analysis of lead isotopes in coal fly ash from all three major U.S. coal-producing basins.

*You can follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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