Research on investigation of tritium existing in nature and utilization of carbon-14. 2. Investigation of tritium concentration distribution in river water of Musashino Plateau and separation of carbon in natural gas by combustion process

The investigation of tritium concentration in river water of Musashino Plateau, Tokyo Metropolis, was carried out. The sample water was electrolytically concentrated, and by liquid scintillation measurement, the tritium concentration was determined. The mean value of the tritium concentration during the period in which the effect of rainfall was small in 1995 was about 0.98 Bq/kg, which was higher than that in rainwater in the same fiscal year. Large difference was not observed in the distribution of tritium concentration in the Plateau. The system for separating the carbon in natural gas by continuous combustion process in the form of calcium carbonate was built. The combustion was carried out by mixing natural gas less than the explosion limit of methane into the mixed gas of nitrogen and oxygen, and passing them through the heated catalyst of copper oxide. After collecting the formed carbon dioxide with ammonia solution, it was taken in the form of calcium carbonate. By using this system, 1 liter of the sample natural gas became to be burned in 4 hours. (K.I.)