Dose assessment and behavior of tritium in environmental samples around Wolsong nuclear power plant

For the estimation of the dispersion trend of tritium discharged from the Wolsung nuclear power plant, the present level of tritium in environmental samples in the vicinity of the Wolsong site has been studied. On the basis of tritium concentrations in environmental samples, the effective dose due to tritium has been estimated for an individual and population within a 16 km radius from the Wolsong site. The annual effective dose of tritium to an inhabitant around the Wolsong site ranged from 0.15 mu Sv y(-1) to 1.3 mu Sv y(-1). The dose level was negligible and much lower than some applicable standards, i.e. the limit on exposure from nuclear fuel cycle to the general public as recommended by ICRP (1 mSv y(-1)) or US EPA's limit (0.25 mSv y(-1)). The collective dose to the total population within a 16 km radius from the site, 1.2 x 10(-2) man Sv y(-1) was much lower than 1 man Sv y(-1), an applicable criterion for the so-called "exemption" of radiation sources and practices from regulatory control. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.