PITTSBURGH -- Team 4 has learned that the state is investigating why a University of Pittsburgh researcher tried to get
tritium.
A
Nuclear Regulatory Commission report says the Pitt researcher who ordered tritium from a Swiss company was not authorized to do so, Team 4's Paul Van Osdol reported.
Tritium is a key component in nuclear weapons, helping to trigger the detonation. It's also found in watches -- it's the material that makes them glow.
The NRC says an "unauthorized researcher" from Pitt ordered tritium in August from Microtek, a Swiss company that makes specialized watches. The order was for a relatively small amount of about 12 curies.
The tritium arrived in Cleveland on Sept. 11. A customs inspector contacted Pitt to verify the license, and the university confirmed that the researcher who ordered the material was not properly licensed. The tritium was then shipped back to Microtek in Switzerland.
The
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is investigating the incident.
Because of the ongoing investigation, the DEP had no comment on Tuesday. A Pitt spokesman also declined to comment.
Team 4 checked Pitt's Web site and found several professors who have used tritium for research projects. It's unclear who ordered the nuclear material in this case.
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