RE: Tritium Weeping

["Jean-Francois, Stephane" <stephane_jeanfrancois@merck.com>]

Vince, 

Do you consolidate (absorb) the liquid ? We handle rad waste liquids
(100-300 mCi in about 2 liters) of tritiated compounds and absorb it in
celite contained in the same poly drum (23 L) you are using. The longer
period between two swipes for these containers was 5 months and nothing was
found outside the drum, prior to waste disposal, 5 months after the first
verification. 

It is true that if you give sufficient time, that tiny atom of tritium will
go trough anything.Multiple and well selected barriers are the only solution
for longer term storage (years).

Stephane Jean-Francois , P. Eng., CHP
Spécialiste en radioprotection/Radiation Safety Specialist
Gestion des Risques/Risk Management
Merck Frosst Canada & Co.
Tel: (514) 428.8695
Fax: (514) 428.4917
e-mail: stephane_jeanfrancois@merck.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Vincent Chase [mailto:CHASEV@war.wyeth.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 1999 9:37 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: Tritium Weeping


At a previous institution, I observed tritium waste leeching through the
sides o
f a 30 gal tight head poly drum.  The was nothing special about these drums
and 
they were purchased through a typical equipment supply catalogue. The
tritium wa
s in a matrix of aqueous liquid waste from biological labs.  Routine monthly
con
tamination surveys were performed on the sides the drums.  Tritium
contamination
 appeared on the outside of the drums between 5 and 7 months after the drums
wer
e placed in storage. (cut)
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