Synthesis of tritium measurement results performed by IRSN from November 5 to December 14, in the environment of the 2M Process company building at Saint-Maur-des-Fosses (94)

A building of 2M Process company at Saint-Maur-des-Fosses (France) has been accidentally contaminated after the handling of a tritium contaminated device. The consequence has been a tritium release inside and in the close environment of the building. Since November 5, on request of the French nuclear safety authority (ASN), the French institute of radiation protection and nuclear safety (IRSN) has performed tritium measurements in water, air and plants sampled in the vicinity of the building in order to delimit the contaminated area and to follow its decay during and after the cleansing of the building. The results published in previous reports have shown a strong contamination of the building and the presence of significant amounts of tritium in plant leaves and superficial waters in a 50 m radius around the 2M Process building. This note makes a synthesis of the tritium concentrations measured in plant leaves, surface waters, air, and rainwater sampled near the 2M Process building since November 5 and up to December 14, 2010. The quality of the drinking water has been controlled as well on request of the Saint-Maur-des-Fosses mayor. The method of tritium treatment and analysis in plant samples is described in the appendix. (J.S.)