Field studies of HT behaviour in the environment

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Fusion Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6189031

Brown, R M; Ogram, G L; Spencer, F S

A release of 3.54 TBq of HT was conducted over an experimental field at Chalk River consisting of a 200 m diameter grassland and a further 200 m stretch of coarse sand having sparse vegetation. Tritiated hydrogen was released at a steady rate over a 30 minute period. Atmospheric sampling for HTO and HT was done using molecular sieve and Pd-loaded molecular sieve traps. HTO/HT ratios observed during the release ranged from 1.37 x 10/sup -5/ at 5 m to 7.0 x 10/sup -4/ at 400 m distance from the release point indicating an effective oxidation rate of about 1.5% h. Oxidation truly in the atmosphere must be much slower than this effective rate since HTO observed in the plume could be attributed primarily to evaporation of tritium oxidized in the surface coil of the field. The distribution of HT in the plume was similar in trend to that calculated from the Gaussian Plume Model but observed concentrations were about half of the calculated values.

• Research Organization: Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River Nuclear Labs., Chalk River, Ontario (CA); Ontario Hydro Research Div., Toronto, Ontario (CA)
• OSTI ID: 6189031
• Journal Information: Fusion Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Fusion Technol.; (United States) Vol. 14:2; ISSN FUSTE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ADSORBENTS
AIR
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ATOMIC ENERGY OF CANADA LTD
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALCULATION METHODS
CANADIAN ORGANIZATIONS
CHALK RIVER NUCLEAR LABS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FIELD TESTS
FLUIDS
GASES
GAUSSIAN PROCESSES
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MOLECULAR SIEVES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXIDATION
PALLADIUM
PLANTS
PLATINUM METALS
PLUMES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SAMPLING
SOILS
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES