Abstract
Tritium (3H) in natural waters is a powerful tracer of hydrological processes, but its low concentrations require electrolytic enrichment before precise measurements can be made with a liquid scintillation counter. Here, we describe a newly developed, compact tritium enrichment unit which can be used to enrich up to 2 L of a water sample. This allows a high enrichment factor (>100) for measuring low 3H contents of <0.05 TU. The TEU uses a small cell (250 mL) with automated re-filling and a CO2 bubbling technique to neutralize the high alkalinity of enriched samples. The enriched residual sample is retrieved from the cell under vacuum by cryogenic distillation at −20 °C and the tritium enrichment factor for each sample is accurately determined by measuring pre- and post- enrichment 2H concentrations with laser spectrometry.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 80-86 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Applied Radiation and Isotopes |
| Volume | 118 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Deuterium enrichment
- Electrolytic enrichment
- Environmental tritium
- Tritium enrichment
- Tritium enrichment unit/system
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiation
Cite this
A compact tritium enrichment unit for large sample volumes with automated re-filling and higher enrichment factor. / Kumar, B.; Han, L. F.; Wassenaar, L. I.; Klaus, P. M.; Kainz, G. G.; Hillegonds, D.; Brummer, D.; Ahmad, M.; Belachew, D. L.; Araguás, L.; Aggarwal, P.
In: Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Vol. 118, 01.12.2016, p. 80-86.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A compact tritium enrichment unit for large sample volumes with automated re-filling and higher enrichment factor
AU - Kumar, B.
AU - Han, L. F.
AU - Wassenaar, L. I.
AU - Klaus, P. M.
AU - Kainz, G. G.
AU - Hillegonds, D.
AU - Brummer, D.
AU - Ahmad, M.
AU - Belachew, D. L.
AU - Araguás, L.
AU - Aggarwal, P.
PY - 2016/12/1
Y1 - 2016/12/1
N2 - Tritium (3H) in natural waters is a powerful tracer of hydrological processes, but its low concentrations require electrolytic enrichment before precise measurements can be made with a liquid scintillation counter. Here, we describe a newly developed, compact tritium enrichment unit which can be used to enrich up to 2 L of a water sample. This allows a high enrichment factor (>100) for measuring low 3H contents of <0.05 TU. The TEU uses a small cell (250 mL) with automated re-filling and a CO2 bubbling technique to neutralize the high alkalinity of enriched samples. The enriched residual sample is retrieved from the cell under vacuum by cryogenic distillation at −20 °C and the tritium enrichment factor for each sample is accurately determined by measuring pre- and post- enrichment 2H concentrations with laser spectrometry.
AB - Tritium (3H) in natural waters is a powerful tracer of hydrological processes, but its low concentrations require electrolytic enrichment before precise measurements can be made with a liquid scintillation counter. Here, we describe a newly developed, compact tritium enrichment unit which can be used to enrich up to 2 L of a water sample. This allows a high enrichment factor (>100) for measuring low 3H contents of <0.05 TU. The TEU uses a small cell (250 mL) with automated re-filling and a CO2 bubbling technique to neutralize the high alkalinity of enriched samples. The enriched residual sample is retrieved from the cell under vacuum by cryogenic distillation at −20 °C and the tritium enrichment factor for each sample is accurately determined by measuring pre- and post- enrichment 2H concentrations with laser spectrometry.
KW - Deuterium enrichment
KW - Electrolytic enrichment
KW - Environmental tritium
KW - Tritium enrichment
KW - Tritium enrichment unit/system
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84986601907&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84986601907&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.07.018
DO - 10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.07.018
M3 - Article
VL - 118
SP - 80
EP - 86
JO - Applied Radiation and Isotopes
JF - Applied Radiation and Isotopes
SN - 0969-8043
ER -