The measurement of tritium in water samples with electrolytic enrichment using liquid scintillation counter

• Published in: Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 239 - 246
• Main Authors: Jankovic, Marija, Todorovic, Dragana, Keleman, Zita, Miljevic, Nada
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: VINCA Institute of Nuclear Sciences 01.09.2012
• Subjects: electrolytic enrichment; intercomparison; tritium; water samples
• ISSN: 1451-3994; 1452-8185
• DOI: 10.2298/NTRP1203239J

Tritium (3H) present in the environment decreased in the last decades and nowadays it has low activity concentrations. Measurement of low-level tritium activities in natural waters, e. g. in precipitation, groundwater, and river water requires special techniques for water pretreatment and detection of low-level radioactivity. In order to increase the tritium concentration to an easily measurable level, electrolytic enrichment must be applied. This paper presents the enrichment method performed by electrolysis in a battery of 18 cells, giving an enrichment factor of 5.84 (calculated from 59 electrolyses). The calculated mean values of the separation factor and enrichment parameter were 4.10 and 0.84, respectively. Results for tritium activity in precipitation and surface water collected in Belgrade during 2008 and 2009 are presented. The Radiation and Environmental Protection Department of the Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, participated in the IAEA TRIC2008 international intercomparison exercise. The participation in the intercomparisons for any laboratory doing low-level 3H measurements in the waters is very important and useful. It is considered the best way to check the entire procedure and methods of the measurements and the reliability of the standard used. The analysis of the reported 3H activity results showed that all results for five intercomparison samples, for which electrolytic enrichment were applied prior to the 3H measurement, are acceptable. Tritijum koji je prisutan u zivotnoj sredini, od nuklearnih proba do danas ima tendenciju opadanja i danas ima niske aktivnosti. Merenje niskih aktivnosti tritijuma u prirodnim vodama (padavinama, povrsinskim vodama i podzemnim vodama) zahteva posebne tehnike pripreme samih uzoraka i detekciju malih aktivnosti. Da bi tritijum u uzorcima mogao da se detektuje, potrebno je povecati njegovu koncentraciju putem elektrolitickog obogacenja. U ovom radu prikazani su rezultati za 59 elektroliza, i dobijen je faktor obogacenja od 5.84. Srednje vrednosti separacionog faktora i parametra obogacenja bile su 4.10 i 0.84, redom. Prikazani su i rezultati za koncentraciju tritijuma u padavinama i povrsinskim vodama sakupljenim u Beogradu tokom 2008. i 2009. godine. Laboratorija za zastitu od zracenja i zastitu zivotne sredine u Institutu ?Vinca? ucestvovala je u interkomparaciji IAEA TRIC2008 za odredjivanje niskih aktivnosti tritijuma. Svi dobijeni rezultati za 5 uzoraka interkomparacije, za koje je primenjeno elektroliticko obogacenje, su zadovoljavajuci. PR Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 43009