FIELD DEPLOYABLE TRITIUM ANALYSIS SYSTEM FOR GROUND AND SURFACE-WATERMEASUREMENTS

Researchers from the Savannah River Technology Center, the Center for Applied Isotope Studies (CAIS) and Sampling Systems have developed a p rototype Field Deployable Tritium Analysis System (FDTAS) for near-rea l-time measurements of environmental levels of tritium in ground and s urface water. The device consists of a modified liquid scintillation c ounter coupled to an automatic sampler which incorporates on-line wate r purification. The FDTAS has been field tested at several Savannah Ri ver Site locations and has produced results comparable to laboratory a nalyses for low concentrations of tritium. Figures of merit obtained i n the field include an average tritium background count rate of 1.5 co unts per minute (cpm), tritium detection efficiency of similar to 25%, and a detection limit of <10 Bq/l for a 100 minute count.