Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

US team measurements during the June 1987 experimental HT release at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories, Ontario, Canada

Conference ·
OSTI ID:7246655
In June 1987, an experiment was performed at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories in Ontario, Canada, to study the oxidation of HT in the environment. The experiment involved a 30-minute release of 100 Ci of HT to the atmosphere at an elevation of one meter. The HTOHT ratios were shown to slowly increase downwind (/approximately/4 /times/ 10/sup /minus/5/ at 50 meters to almost 10/sup /minus/3 at 400 meters) as conversion of HT takes place. For several days after the release, HTO concentrations in the atmosphere remained elevated. Freeze-dried water from vegetation samples was found to be very low in HTO immediately after the release suggesting a very low direct uptake of HTO in air by vegetation. The tritiated water concentration increased during the first day, peaking during the second day (about 400 to 600 pCiml of water at 50 meters from the source) and decreasing by the end of the second day. The organically bound tritium continued to accumulate during the period following exposure (about 10 pCigm dry weight at 50 meters after two days). 4 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA); Savannah River Lab., Aiken, SC (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
7246655
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-88-820; CONF-880505-11; ON: TI88007894
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English