Anthropogenic tritium in the Loire River estuary, France
Résumé
This work is carried out in the frame of a radioecological monitoring of anthropogenic tritiumfromupstream and
downstream of several nuclear power plants along the Loire River to its estuary. This paper studies the variation
of anthropogenic tritium species in the Loire River system from upstream to the mouth of the estuary. Tritiated
water (HTO and HTO in sediment pore water) and organically bound tritium (OBT) forms were analysed after
dedicated pre-treatments. The collected environmental samples consist in (i) surface-sediment and core samples
from the river floor, (ii) surface and water column samples. A maximum 3H activity concentration of 26 ±
3 Bq·L−1 in the Loire River estuary is obtained whereas an environmental background level around 1 Bq·L−1
is determined for a non influenced continental area by anthropogenic activities. The European follow-up indicator
used as a screening value is 100 Bq·L−1. The conservative tritiumbehaviour was used in order to characterize
the tidal regime and river flow influences in the mixing zone of the Loire River estuary. Furthermore, OBT levels
and total organically carbon (TOC) content are explored. Finally, ratios of OBT relative to HTO in sediment pore
water in surface-sediment and core samples are also discussed.