Tritium contents in drinking and surface seawaters before the nuclear power plant planned in Sinop (Türkiye) and their radiological risks on human population

Abstract

This studyãims to determine the background levels of tritium radioisotope in drinkingãnd seawater samples of Sinop province before the nuclear power plant was established in Sinop. In this context,ã total of 174 water samples were collected, theseãreãs follows: nine drinking water samples from the Sinop centerãnd districtsãnd 165 seawater samples from the seacoast from Samsun to Kastamonu. Tritium concentrations in the collected water samples were measured by the liquid scintillation counter. The minimum detectableãctivity for the method used was found to be 1.48 Bq/L. The tritium concentrations of the seawaterãnd drinking water samples were found in the range of ,MDA (minimum detectableãctivity)-6.29 Bq/Lãnd 2.45-3.17 Bq/L, respectively. Inãddition, theãnnual effective dose rates of the people consuming these drinking waters due to the tritium radioisotope were calculated separately for infants, childrenãndãdultsãnd found to be 12.12, 16.96ãnd 35.38 nSv, respectively.