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Published on: November 9, 2015
Tritium activity levels in environmental water samples from different origins
M Palomo1, A Peñalver, C Aguilar
1Unitat de Radioquímica Ambiental i Sanitaria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Edifici CTT-FURV, Av. Països Catalans 18, 43007 Tarragona, Spain.
Summary
Tritium activity in most Catalan waters is low. However, the Ebro river shows elevated tritium levels, potentially linked to the Ascó nuclear power plant, exceeding safe drinking water limits.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Radiochemistry
- Water Quality Monitoring
Background:
- Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen.
- Environmental monitoring is crucial for detecting radioactive contamination.
- Catalonia's water bodies are subject to various environmental pressures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure tritium activity in diverse environmental waters across Catalonia.
- To assess potential sources of tritium contamination, particularly near the Ascó nuclear power plant.
- To compare measured tritium levels with regulatory limits for drinking water.
Main Methods:
- Water samples collected from rivers, rain, bottled, and tap water sources.
- Tritium measurement using a distillation procedure followed by liquid scintillation counting.
- Method validation through proficiency testing samples.
Main Results:
- Most water samples exhibited tritium activity below the method's Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) of 0.6 Bq/l.
- Ebro river samples showed a mean tritium activity of approximately 3.6 ± 0.6 Bq/l.
- Tritium levels in the Ebro river significantly exceeded the Spanish regulatory limit of 100 Bq/l for drinking water.
Conclusions:
- While most Catalan waters have negligible tritium, the Ebro river presents a localized contamination concern.
- The Ascó nuclear power plant is a potential source requiring further investigation.
- Elevated tritium in the Ebro river poses a risk to human consumption, necessitating strict monitoring and control.
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