Review of Tritium Emissions Sampling and Monitoring from the Hanford Site Radiochemical Processing Laboratory

Authors

J. M. Barnett, L. A. True, D. D. Douglas

Abstract

For the past 9 yr, tritium emissions have been sampled and monitored from the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory located on the Hanford Site in Washington State. The diatomic and vapor forms of tritium are separately measured by adsorption either directly onto silica gel for water vapor (e.g., HTO) or by catalytic conversion to water vapor followed by silica gel adsorption for diatomic forms (e.g., HT). The silica gel columns are exchanged and analyzed at approximately monthly intervals. Continuous monitoring for tritium is accomplished using a flow-through proportional counter with pulse-rise discrimination. Since 1998, tritium emissions from the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory have accounted for > 90% of the Hanford Site offsite dose from point source emissions. During the past 5 yr, the effective dose equivalent from tritium emissions from the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory to the maximally exposed offsite individual has ranged from 1.2 × 10–4 to 1.2 × 10–3 mSv yr–1. Results and discussion of sampling and data trending are presented.

Meeting

This abstract was presented at the 37th Annual Midyear Meeting, "Air Monitoring and Internal Dosimetry", Effluent and Environmental Monitoring Session, 2/8/2004 - 2/11/2004, held in Augusta, GA.

 
Index of Midyear Meeting Abstracts