Evaluation of Environmental Tritium Level in Air and Precipitation in the Area of the Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas Medioambientales y tecnologicas (CIEMAT), Madrid. 1998-2000

Concentration of tritium in environmental samples (air, precipitation) has been determined during 1998-2000, by using electrolytic enrichment and liquid scintillation counting. Atmospheric tritium concentration of tritiated water vapor (HTO), expressed in Bq/l varies within a range of 0,77-10.82 giving an overall average value of 1,81±1,82. HTO expressed in mBq/m''3 air varies within a range of 4,6-70; no correlation with the atmospheric humidity was observed. Tritium concentration in the precipitation ranges from 0.35 to 2,18 Bq/l, without seasonal variations. The tritium concentration in the air of the laboratory was approximately five times higher than in the atmosphere due to evaporation of tritium standard water during the process of the samples. (Author) 9 refs