전해농축법을 이용하여 한국 주변 해역 해수중 저준위 삼중수소를 측정하였다. 동 서 남해안에서 채취된 표충해수중 삼중수소를 측정한 결과, 삼중수소 농도는 $0.12 BqL^{-1}$에서 $1.50 BqL^{-1}$ 범위내의 값을 나타내었으며 그 평균값은 $0.60{pm}0.353qL^{-1}$였다. 해역별 평균 삼중수소 농도는 동해안에서 $0.54{pm}0.30 BqL^{-1}$ 남해안에서 $0.48{pm}0.35 BqL^{-1}$. 서해안에서 $0.77{pm}0.32 BqL^{-1}$의 농도분포를 각각 나타내었으며, 해역별로 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 또한, 시료채취지점이 매우 좁은 위도범위내에 한정되어 있어 위도에 따른 삼중수소 농도의 체계적인 변화는 관찰되지 않았다. 본 연구에서 얻어진 표층해수 중 삼중수소 농도 준위는 일본 근해에서 조사된 결과와 매우 유사하였으며, 태평양지역에서의 삼중수소 농도에 비해서는 약간 높은 값을 나타내었다.
An electrolytic enrichment technique was used to measure low levels of tritium in seawater around the Korean peninsula. Tritium concentrations were determined for surface seawater samples collected from the East Sea, the South Sea, and the Yellow Sea. The tritium concentrations in surface seawater samples from the study area ranged from $0.12 BqL^{-1};to;1.50BqL^{-1}$ with a mean value of $0.60{pm}0.35 BqL^{-1}$. The means of the tritium concentration were $0.54{pm}0.30 BqL^{-1}$ for the East Sea, $0.48{pm}0.35 BqL^{-1}$ for the South Sea, and $0.77{pm}0.32 BqL^{-1}$ for the Yellow Sea. The tritium concentrations in the sea areas did not show much difference no matter where the samples were taken. Due to the limited number and distribution of sampling points, no systematic change in tritium levels with latitude was observed. Measured tritium levels were similar to those observed in other data collected near Japan, but higher than mid-Pacific Ocean measurements.
