Tritium concentration analysis of groundwater samples from the environmental monitoring program at IPEN, São Paulo, Brazil

Environmental Radiometric Division, Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2242 Cidade Universitária, 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil e-mail: brigitte@ipen.br

Abstract

Tritium concentrations of groundwater samples from the Environmental Monitoring Program at IPEN (Institute of Nuclear and Energetic Researches), São Paulo, Brazil, covering the years 2000 to 2003, were determined by liquid scintillation counting and the results laid in the range of 20 BqL^-1 to 91 BqL^-1. The effective committed dose for general public considering the highest concentration value is 1.3 μSvy^-1, which is below the ICRP dose limit of 1mSvy^-1. Tritium concentration of radioactive liquid effluents samples from the IEA-R1 research reactor storage tank showed values from 3.6×10³ BqL^-1 to 6.2×10³ BqL^-1, approximately 1000 times below the Brazilian daily discharge limit of 3.7×10⁶ BqL^-1.