title: Natural Tritium Measurements by Ethane Counting.
abstract: A method is described for the synthesis of ethane from hydrogen that is at present used for the counting of low-level tritium activity at the La Jolla tritium laboratory. The reaction procedure is simple and involves the mixing of the hydrogen with acetylene over a colloidal palladium catalyst. Counting characteristics of ethane are found to be ideal. With a 1-liter counter filled to three atmospheres of ethane, only a tenfold tritium enrichment is necessary in order to obtain a sensitivity of 0.32 counts per minute per tritium unit.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bainbridge
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sandoval
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Suess