Flux of tritium from the sea to the atmosphere around a nuclear reprocessing plant: Experimental measurements and modelling for the Western English channel

The Impact of Tides and Monsoons on Tritium Migration and Diffusion in Coastal Harbours: A Simulation Study in Lianyungang Haizhou Bay, China

“…In a different study [25], a combined biophysical and water cycle model simulated the dispersion of Atlantic salmon in a semi-enclosed bay. In another study [26], the combination of a hydrodynamic model and evaporation-atmosphere transport model was constructed, which assessed the average tritium release from the coast into the English Channel.…”

Development of a Novel Passive Monitoring Technique to Showcase the 3D Distribution of Tritiated Water (HTO) Vapor in Indoor Air of a Nuclear Facility

“…Releases of radionuclides from nuclear facilities may cause negative health effects but are even more likely to trigger public concern and hence cause socioeconomic damage. , Comprehensive and reliable monitoring of anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment, therefore, is essential for nuclear safety and risk assessment of occupational exposure. − Among various anthropogenic radionuclides, tritium ( 3 H) is noteworthy due to its relatively long half-life ( T 1/2 = 12.33 years) and high migration capacity. − As a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, 3 H is omnipresent as tritiated water (HTO) vapor in air, leading to widespread distribution through the water cycle and food chain. − Despite analytical challenges due to tritium’s volatility and low-energy beta decay, radiation regulatory authorities have extensively documented airborne HTO dynamics in many countries over the past decades. − Concerning the indoor atmosphere of nuclear facilities, HTO monitoring primarily serves for surveillance monitoring to diagnose reactor status and assess occupational exposure. − Although online tritium monitoring instruments (e.g., ionization chambers) provide timely information in case of accidental leakage, the high instrument costs, high detection limits, and single-point radiation measurement limit their ability to characterize the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of HTO in large volumes of indoor air, such as reactor halls. , Without exact and quantitative knowledge on HTO in air, small leakages from nuclear installations cannot be pinpointed accurately, and the development of proper strategies for nuclear facility decommissioning may also influenced. Therefore, a supplementary method for the comprehensive characterization of HTO vapor in nuclear facilities is desired to meet future challenges resulting from nuclear power expansion based on both fission and fusion.…”