Abstract
A method for estimating the standard deviations in measurements of low-level tritium concentrations in water samples is presented. The enrichment is performed by electrolysis in a battery of 20 cells, giving an enrichment factor of about 18. The final samples after distillation are counted in a liquid scintillation counter. A statistical evaluation of the cell battery shows that there is a significant spread of the cells which is included together with the error on the distillation in an overall variance corresponding to 3 per cent of the initial concentration. The new liquid scintillation counter at the IAEA is used to compare different vials using a newly prepared scintillant cocktail Instagel. Different calibration equations are determined. The accuracy of measurements is derived theoretically and applied to hypothetical routine measurements. From these data a proposal is made for establishing routine runs with a sensitivity limit of 5 ± 1.2 TU (standard deviation) for 20 samples per week. The proposed approach is applied routinely and the results of several runs are given. Optimization of the system, i.e. decrease of the sensitivity limit, is discussed, as well as the fitting of the calibration line to the range of measured values.
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