Tritium oxidation in surface soils. A survey of soils near five nuclear fuel reprocessing plants

Elemental tritium is produced in nuclear power reactors and is released during reprocessing of fuel elements. Currently there are nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities operating near Aiken, S.C., Arco, Idaho, Hanford, Wash., a small experimental unit near Oak Ridge, Tenn., and a new facility constructed, but inoperative, at Barnwell, S.C. A project was undertaken to determine if soil microorganisms capable of tritium oxidation existed near these facilities and, if so, to find out if their activity was sufficient to be considered important in the event of a tritium release. All were found to have the capacity of rapidly oxidizing tritium