Impact of coal fly ash on agricultural crops: use of fly ash in agriculture in and around Jindal Steel and Power Limited Raigarh
Student name: Ms Nidhi Sharma
Guide: Dr Kamna Sachdeva
Year of completion: 2016
Host Organisation: Jindal Steel and Power Limited, Raigarh
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr D. P Singh
Abstract: Fly Ash (FA)-a coal combustion residue of thermal power plants which has been regarded as a problematic solid waste all over the world. Disposal of high amount of FA from thermal power plants absorbs large amount of water, energy and land area by ash ponds. Therefore, FA management would be a great concern of the century. However, there have been several studies which propose that FA to be used as a soil enhancer and help to improve physical, chemical and biological properties of the degraded soils and become a source of readily available plant micro-and macro-nutrients. This method implication can solve problem in management of FA and also help in soil productivity The high concentration of elements (K, Na, Zn, Ca, Mg and Fe) in FA increases the yield of many agricultural crops. But it also contains elements like Ar, Pb, Hg and many other in small quantity. So this study involves impact of these element on the yield. It also become essential to understand the opinion of the farmers of that area on using FA in their field. The study involves its use in and around JSPL Raigarh, Chhattisgarh and include the impact assessment of the technique which introduces FA in agroecosystem. Life cycle assessment (LCA) tool is to be used to analysis impact of this method on the surrounding environment.
Keywords: FA, soil productivity, waste management, life cycle assessment (LCA)
