Environmental tritium in the vicinity of Creys-Malville nuclear power plant

Abstract

The results of an environmental survey of tritium in the vicinity of Creys-Malville nuclear plant are presented. The plant, which was shut down in 1998, is currently in its initial stage of dismantling. Measurements in the terrestrial environment do not provide any indication that tritium levels are significantly above the regional background. Tritium concentrations in groundwaters and in the river Rhône waters are at their background level too, with values in the range 0.94-1.64 Bq/l. In contrast, the various aquatic compartments of the river (fishes, plants, sediments) show enriched non-exchangeable bound tritium concentrations both upstream and downstream of the power plant, with values up to 14.7, 49 and 1495 Bq/kg (dry weight) respectively. Although fine particles of tritiated compounds entering in the composition of luminous paints have been suspected on several occasions, the nature and the origin of this tritium source, which is not related to the nuclear plant, remain unknown and will require further investigations.