Depth-wise core sediment profile of tissue free and organic bound tritium in dynamic marine environment

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry 2015-01, Vol.303 (1), p.845-851
• Main Authors: Bhade, Sonali P. D., Singhal, R. K., Basu, H., Kumar, Ajay, Karpe, R., Reddy, P. J., Kolekar, R. V., Singh, Rajvir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Clay minerals; Diagnostic Radiology; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Hydrogen; Inorganic Chemistry; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear fuel cycle; Nuclear Physics; Physical Chemistry
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-014-3413-6

Down core variation of tissue free and organic bound tritium in sediment cores was evaluated to assess the retention of tritium (H-3) by bottom sediment in the dynamic marine environment of Mumbai Harbour Bay. Tissue free water tritium (TFWT) was evaluated by extraction of H-3 from the sediment by extracting it in tritium free water whereas total H-3 by alkaline digestion of core sediment sample. OBT in various core fractions was evaluated by measuring the difference between total H-3 content and TFWT. Total H-3 content in the sediment core varies in the range of 0.41–8.01 Bq g −1 whereas OBT varies between 0.1 and 0.86 Bq g −1 . Experimental results clearly indicate that total H-3 content in various fractions of the core sediment samples is dependent on the availability of exchangeable hydrogen which were either associated with clay minerals or organic molecule.