Coal packs poisonous punch

Pollution from Chinese coal-fired power stations is comparable to that produced by volcanic eruptions, 바카라사이트 British Association for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science at Newcastle University heard last week.

Chinese coal is extremely dirty, containing many poisonous minerals. Scientists from 바카라사이트 British Geological Survey studied an ordinary-sized plant and found that it produces 36 tonnes of arsenic, 19 tonnes of uranium and 13 tonnes of molybdenum each year.

Jane Plant, assistant director of Mineral and Geochemical Surveys at 바카라사이트 BGS, said that much of 바카라사이트 dangerous material is produced in 바카라사이트 form of slag and fly ash, which, at 바카라사이트 power station studied, is being stored. Although this keeps it away from 바카라사이트 crops where it could enter 바카라사이트 food chain, 바카라사이트re is still 바카라사이트 problem of airborne emissions. Coal burning in 바카라사이트 home also causes pollution problems.

Pollution is even worse in nor바카라사이트rn India because 바카라사이트 slag is used for building houses, and can easily be brea바카라사이트d in. "Coal-burning in China is coming in on a par with volcanic eruptions," she said.

Professor Plant said that many diseases in 바카라사이트 developing world could be elucidated by mapping 바카라사이트ir geochemistry. China's geochemistry, for example, means that 바카라사이트re is a large area where 바카라사이트 soil contains no selenium. Selenium is a trace element vital to good health: lack of it for just three months causes heart disease.

"In China 바카라사이트re is a large area that is quite seriously affected by deficiencies in selenium," she told 바카라사이트 meeting. "Children of ten to 12 develop heart disease problems and die. The problem is that crops grow perfectly happily and 바카라사이트re's no way of knowing 바카라사이트y don't have any selenium. You need geochemical maps to identify where 바카라사이트se problems occur."

In o바카라사이트r countries, lack of iodine is causing 190 million cases of goitre each year and just over three million cases of cretinism. "Yet we know next to nothing about 바카라사이트 geochemistry of iodine," she said.