The distribution of tritium in aquatic environments, Lithuania

14C AND OTHER RADIONUCLIDES IN THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE BORDER REGION OF LITHUANIA BEFORE THE START OF THE BELARUSIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT OPERATION

“…The observed 3 H variations in precipitation of Zarasai station are similar to those at the GNIP station Vienna, Hohe Warte (Jefanova et al 2018). 3 H monthly data clearly express seasonal variations with maximum values in the spring-summer months (May-August) and with minimum values in autumn-winter months (October-February).…”

“…As it was previously shown in many studies (Mikhailov et al 1999;Mažeika 2002;Nedveckaitė et al 2007;Jasiulionis and Rozkov 2007;Gudelis et al 2010;Mazeika et al 2016;Jefanova et al 2018), Lithuanian terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems near the INPP contained traces of carbon-14 ( 14 C), tritium ( 3 H), cobalt-60 ( 60 Co), and caesium-137 ( 137 Cs) originating from the INPP. We assume that the same radionuclides, especially mobile ones, such as 14 C and 3 Н, may be present in the BelNPP environment in the future during its normal operation.…”

“…The 3 H specific activity in monthly precipitation collected from Vilnius station was as follows: 11.4 ± 0.8 TU for August of 2018, 7.1 ± 0.5 TU for September of 2019 and 9.0 ± 0.6 TU for August of 2020. Despite its low radiation significance, 3 H is a very important specific mobile radionuclide, due to its complex global inventory from thermonuclear weapons testing and from cosmogenic production, as well as because of its local excess often being traced as originating from NPP sites (Jefanova et al 2018). 3 H in atmospheric precipitation has been measured in Lithuania for the past 20 years, which allows the 3 H time series of monthly precipitation since 1999 to act as a basis for interpretation of the 3 H distribution in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, both for background areas and NPP sites.…”

“…H specific activity in tissue free water form (TU, ± 1 sigma/Bq/kg* of fresh biota, ± 1 sigma) of terrestrial plants (rowan leaves, Sorbus aucuparia) taken from Lithuanian part of the 30 km zone of the BelNPP, Belarus.Figure23 H activity concentration in monthly atmospheric precipitation in eastern Lithuania. The observations in long-term monitoring station Zarasai in 1999 (in detail afterJefanova et al 2018) and in Vilnius station in 2017 were started. There is a strong correlation between 3 H from two precipitation stations (y = 0.9947x -0.0616, R 2 = 0.81).…”