An improved air-supplied plastic suit for protection against tritium

A newly developed Saran/CPE plastic suit material is described which offers significantly better protection against HTO penetration and permeation than the 12-mil PVC currently used at SRP and most other DOE and commercial sites where tritium and HTO are exposure hazards. Tritium breakthrough time is an important parameter when evaluating the applicability of protective clothing; previously published tritium permeation tests did not measure this parameter. Future studies should quantify steady-state permeation rate and breakthrough time to more fully evaluate potential tritium protective clothing. Saran/CPE has successfully been fabricated into a plastic suit because, in addition to its superior tritium resistance, it has all the characteristics required to construct a rugged, dependable, and comfortable suit. The use of the Saran/CPE suit at SRP reactor and tritium production facilities should be a major contribution to the site As Low As Reasonably Achievable program. Both Saran/CPE have demonstrated excellent resistance to a wide range of chemical contaminants; therefore, this suit material may have applications in the general chemical industry and hazardous waste site cleanup operations. 4 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab