Two methods are employed for analysing the purity of tritium shipped to and distributed within ETHEL (European Tritium Handling Experimental Laboratory): packed column gas chromatograpahy and Omegatron-type mass spectrometry. The development and commissioning of each analytical instrument are discussed taking into account operational, maintenance and safety aspects of the laboratory. In addition, initial hydrogen isotope measurements with the gas chromatography are presented and operation parameters of the instruments are discussed for quantitative analytical purposes.