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Seasonal trends in environmental tritium concentrations in a small forest adjacent to a radioactive waste storage area

Conference · · Fusion Technology; (United States)
OSTI ID:5013575
 [1];  [2]
  1. Dept. of Environmental Safety Research, Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-11 (JP)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States). Environmental Sciences Div.
Tritium (HTO) concentrations were studied for an entire year in a floodplain forest adjacent to a low-level radioactive solid waste storage areas (SWSA No. 5) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. Tritium in soil was the principal source of HTO to the deciduous forest. Evaporation from the surface soil along with transpiration from tree leaves both contributed to HTO in the forest atmosphere. During the growing season, transpiration was the principal contributor of HTO to the forest atmosphere, while during he dormant season, the main source of atmospheric HTO was evaporation from the surface soil. This paper discovers seasonal changes and the characteristics of vegetation which will influence the relative importance of evaporation and transpiration as sources of atmospheric HTO near the ground in temperate deciduous forests.
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
5013575
Report Number(s):
CONF-910920--
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Fusion Technology; (United States) Journal Volume: 21:2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English