Combustion water purification techniques influence on OBT analysing using liquid scintillation counting method

In order to determine organically bound tritium (OBT) from environmental samples, these must be converted into water, measurable by liquid scintillation counting (LSC). For this purpose we conducted some experiments to determine OBT level of a grass sample collected from an uncontaminated area. The...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fusion science and technology 2015-03, Vol.67 (3)
Main Authors: Varlam, C., Vagner, I., Faurescu, I., Faurescu, D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
CARBON 14
CHEMILUMINESCENCE
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE
CHLORINE 36
COMBUSTION
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LYOPHILIZATION
MANGANESE OXIDES
POTASSIUM
POTASSIUM 40
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
SCINTILLATION COUNTING
SODIUM OXIDES
TRITIUM
WATER
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Summary:In order to determine organically bound tritium (OBT) from environmental samples, these must be converted into water, measurable by liquid scintillation counting (LSC). For this purpose we conducted some experiments to determine OBT level of a grass sample collected from an uncontaminated area. The studied grass sample was combusted in a Parr bomb. However usual interfering phenomena were identified: color or chemical quench, chemiluminescence, overlap over tritium spectrum because of other radionuclides presence as impurities ({sup 14}C from organically compounds, {sup 36}Cl as chloride and free chlorine, {sup 40}K as potassium cations) and emulsion separation. So the purification of the combustion water before scintillation counting appeared to be essential. 5 purification methods were tested: distillation with chemical treatment (Na{sub 2}O{sub 2} and KMnO{sub 4}), lyophilization, chemical treatment (Na{sub 2}O{sub 2} and KMnO{sub 4}) followed by lyophilization, azeotropic distillation with toluene and treatment with a volcanic tuff followed by lyophilization. After the purification step each sample was measured and the OBT measured concentration, together with physico-chemical analysis of the water analyzed, revealed that the most efficient method applied for purification of the combustion water was the method using chemical treatment followed by lyophilization.
ISSN:1536-1055
1943-7641
DOI:10.13182/FST14-T95