Possible parameters in the urinary excretion of tritium
Because of its mobility in both physical and biological systems, tritium is interesting both as a tracer and as an issue in health physics. Because tritium is extremely difficult to contain, it is one of the major radionuclides of concern if released to the environment from nuclear facilities. Relatively very large releases are tolerated because the beta particle has low energy and, therefore, the radioisotope is not a health hazard unless deposited internally. Moreover, on release to the environment, tritium enters the hydrologic cycle and is diluted and dispersed widely through the hydrosphere. It is likely that tritium uptake and loss in humans is more complex than generally believed and may be more functionally related to physiological processes, such as the bicarbonate and electrolyte balances, than to ambient environmental conditions such as temperature. Despite the many uncertainties in the analyses of experimental data on tritium contamination and excretion, it is likely that further investigations will establish both a better understanding of the tritium health hazard and the physiological processes governing excretion and, perhaps, its indefinite recycling through metabolic pools.
- Research Organization:
- Rockwell Hanford Operations
- OSTI ID:
- 7152908
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-851115-; TRN: 86-037925
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 50; Conference: American Nuclear Society winter meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA, 10 Nov 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MAN
EXCRETION
TRITIUM
HEALTH HAZARDS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
ACTIVITY LEVELS
CONTAMINATION
DEPOSITION
HYDROLOGY
HYDROSPHERE
SAFETY
URINE
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BODY FLUIDS
CLEARANCE
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HAZARDS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAMMALS
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PRIMATES
RADIOISOTOPES
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
700206* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Environmental Aspects