HT and HTO in the Environment at Chalk River
Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 8 / Number 2P2 / September 1985 / Pages 2539-2543
Environmental Study / Proceedings of the Second National Topical Meeting on Tritium Technology in Fission, Fusion and Isotopic Applications (Dayton, Ohio, April 30 to May 2, 1985) / dx.doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A24661
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The release of tritium into the public environment from heavy water reactor operations at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories is about 0.1% of the Derived Release Limit which is based on internationally accepted standards. A mean discharge of 500 TBq/a of HTO vapour to the atmosphere has resulted in concentrations in precipitation at the plant boundary of 74 Bq/L. (1 TeraBq = 1012Bq = 27 Ci). A dilution factor of 6 × 107 m3/s is observed. Measurements of HTO in tree leaf moisture and integrated snow cores serve to delineate the dispersal plume. Measured discharges of liquid HTO to local surface and groundwaters totaling 147 TBq/a agree reasonably well with amounts observed in the Ottawa River. Preliminary measurements have shown that minor amounts of HT are being released to the atmosphere from the Chalk River facilities.
