LOOSE WATER TRITIUM DISTRIBUTION IN SOIL AROUND CIAE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Studies have been made of loose water tritium (LWT) distribution and b ehavior in the soil samples taken from the region within a radius of 2 km to the HWRR stack of CIAE. The analytical results show that the LW T concentrations in most soil samples of the region are in the range f rom 24.8 Bq/l (3.6 Bq/kg) to 116 Bq/l (16.0 Bq/kg) with an average val ue of 58.1 +/- 24.8 Bq/l (10.3 +/- 4.5 Bq/kg). There are two areas wit h a higher LWT content: the first one (4.61 . 10(4) m(2)) is located n ear HWRR with a highest LWT concentration of 287 Bq/l (55.8 Bq/kg) and the second one (3.27 . 10(5) m(2)) is located near Lab. A with a high est LWT concentration of 2.35 . 10(4) Bq/l (2.56 . 10(3) Bq/kg). It is estimated that the LWT inventories deposited in soil of the two areas are about 1.52 . 10(9) Bq and 1.42 . 10(10) Bq, respectively. The ana lytical results have been evaluated by comparing the possible tritium intake of the human body with the annual limit of intake recommended b y ICRP, it can be concluded that the operations of all the nuclear fac ilities releasing tritium in CIAE are safe without causing any notable tritium contamination.