The impact of tritium contamination of air humidity and ground water on the tritium concentration of tissue water in plants studied under real conditions

This is a summary of results obtained in a measuring program aimed at studying the influence exerted by the tritium offer in the ground water and in the water vapor of air on the tritium contained in plant tissue water. The studies were performed at the western borderline of the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center in a narrow area which, on account of its location, is of special interest with respect to the various tritium emitters. The determinations covered the tritium concentrations in samples of air humidity, ground water and precipitations as well as in the tissue water of needles and leaves, respectively, of different trees. The methods applied in sample preparation and the measuring technique are described in detail. After the tritium emissions strongly varying with time and the relevant meteorological parameters had been duly taken into account, unambiguous relations were found between the tritium concentration of the humidity of the air and the tritium contamination of plants. (orig.)