| he Idaho Department of Environmental Quality samples atmospheric tritiated water on and near the Idaho National Laboratory usingmolecular sieve to adsorb water vapor from the atmosphere. The IDEQ reports atmospheric HTO concentrationsincluding analytical uncertainties,calculated using these waterconcentrations.Results from434 HTO samples were reviewed to identifyand possiblyquantifyunrealized uncertainty. Experimental sampling using an inline hygrometer was conducted to establish MS collection efficiencies.Data from the sample groupsand associated operating conditionswere reviewed;no correlation between sampling variables and HTO concentrationswas found. Thestudy was unable to incorporate collection efficienciesinto the IDEQ’s historical samplingdatadue to insufficient data.The calculatedcollection efficiencies were implemented into the IDEQ’s sampling data, the observed collection efficiency values ranged from 28 to 333%; these values are either not possible or reasonable andare assumed to be a productof measurement uncertainty and procedural errors. Key Words: atmospheric tritiumsampling;molecular sieve adsorption; uncertainty analysisin tritium sampling. |