tritiated water uptake

[D J Hornsey <bssdjh@bath.ac.uk>]

Dear Radsafe,
            The October issue of Health Physics carries an article
analyzing the fate of body tritium after 8 radiation workers had an
'unplanned acute tritiated water intake' in a Canadian nuclear plant in
1990. The 1990 reference reporting the incident was published only in
abstract form in Health Physics just after the incident. The exposed
workers 4h post exposure showed 10^8 Bq/L in their urine and the
contamination originated apparently from a juice dispenser. Whereas the
article was useful it left me curious has to how a juice dispenser could
have got so contaminated. Does any-one out there know of the results of a
follow up of the origins of such a significant contamination? I would be
very interested to know. Thankyou.

                                               David Hornsey 

 **************************************
 * David J. Hornsey, Radiation Safety.*
 * South Building,                    *
 * University of Bath                 *             
 * Claverton Down,                    * 
 * Bath BA2 7AY. UK.                  *
 *                                    *
 * tel:01225 826540                   *
 * fax:01225 826779                   *  
 * e-mail: d.j.hornsey@bath.ac.uk     *
 **************************************