Determination of the baseline tritium concentrations (HTO, TFWT and OBT) in soil and plants in Ontario, Canada.

Tritiated water (HTO), tissue free water tritium (TFWT) and organically bound tritium (OBT) activity concentrations in soil and plant leaves, collected at background areas in Ontario, were measured to quantify the current tritium baseline. Five representative background sites, based on their geological characteristics and residential populations, have been selected for this study. Undisturbed soils, plant leaves and surface water samples were collected at 5 sites (London, Kapuskasing, Thunder Bay, Elliot Lake and Cornwall areas) in 2015.

Experimental investigation of D conversion to DHO in soil near the Cernavoda nuclear power plant site in Romania.

The current Canadian and Romanian model predictions for tritium dose following an atmospheric tritiated hydrogen gas (HT) release is based on a default Canadian Standards Association (CSA) conversion factor of HT to tritiated water (HTO) of 4.3%. The determination of an empirical site specific value for the conversion factor was essential for the CANDU Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Romania to verify if the CSA value is appropriate for use at this site.

Organically bound tritium (OBT) activity concentrations in surface soil at the Chalk River Laboratories, Canada.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL)'s Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) site is home to a large nuclear research complex in Canada. CRL's air tritium releases amount to about 10 Bq/year. The objective of the study was to characterize the spatial footprint of the 60 years of tritium atmospheric releases in surface soil by measurement of organically bound tritium (OBT).

Distribution of organically bound tritium (OBT) activity concentrations in aquatic biota from eastern Canada.

A survey of eastern Canadian biota was conducted to determine the distribution of activity concentrations of organically bound tritium (OBT). Fish samples were collected from Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River in areas continuously receiving inputs of tritiated water (HTO) from operating nuclear power plants, and from Lake Nipissing, a background area.

Changes in HTO and OBT activity concentrations in the Perch Lake aquatic ecosystem.

Perch Lake, a small shallow shield lake located on the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) site, contains elevated levels of tritium due to inputs from a nearby nuclear waste management area. The releases have been going on for many years but tritium levels in Perch Lake have been gradually decreasing since about year 2000. Lake water, sediments, aquatic plants, clams and fish were collected during the summer and fall of 2003 and 2013 at three locations in the lake.