Plume-scale testing of a simplified method for detecting tritium contamination in plants and soil

Brian J. Andraski; Keith J. Halford; Robert L. Michel

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USGS · 70194904

Plume-scale testing of a simplified method for detecting tritium contamination in plants and soil

Brian J. Andraski·Keith J. Halford·Robert L. Michel

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Abstract

Cost-effective methods are needed to detect contamination near radioactive-waste and other contaminated sites. Such methods should be capable of providing an early warning of contaminant releases and should be accurate and robust enough for assessing the long-term performance of waste-isolation facilities and remediation measures. Recently, a simplified method for detecting tritium contamination in plants and soil was developed (1). The method includes solar distillation of plant water from foliage, followed by filtration and adsorption of scintillation-interfering constituents on a graphite-based solid-phase-extraction column prior to direct-scintillation counting. The objectives of the in-progress study described here are to (i) test the simplified contamination-detection method for collection and analysis of plume-scale tritium data and (ii) gain insight into tritium migration pathways and processes.

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Source-reported bounding extent: 36.0015° to 39.1634° latitude; -118.1972° to -114.999° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Brian J. Andraski, Keith J. Halford, Robert L. Michel. 2004. Plume-scale testing of a simplified method for detecting tritium contamination in plants and soil. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70194904

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