Dissolution rate and radiation dosimetry of metal tritides
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Inhalation Toxicology Research Inst., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Metal tritides including titanium tritide (Ti{sup 3}H{sub x}) and erbium tritide (Er{sup 3}H{sub x}) have been used as components of neutron generators. These compounds can be released to the air as aerosols during fabrication, assembling and testing of components or in accidental or fugitive releases. As a result, workers could be exposed to these compounds by inhalation. A joint research project between SNL and ITRI (Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute) was initiated last fall to investigate the solubility of metal tritides, retention and translocation of inhaled particles and internal dosimetry of metal tritides. The current understanding of metal tritides and their radiation dosimetry for internal exposure are very limited. There is no provision in the ICRP-30 for tritium dosimetry in metal tritide form. However, a few papers in the literature suggested that the solubility of metal tritide could be low. The current radiation protection guidelines for metal tritide particles are based on the assumption that the biological behavior is similar to tritiated water which behaves like body fluid with a relative short biological half life (10 days). If the solubility of metal tritide is low, the biological half life of metal tritide particles and the dosimetry of inhalation exposure to these particles could be quite different from tritiated water. This would have major implications in current radiation protection guidelines for metal tritides Including annual limits of intakes and derived air concentrations. The preliminary results of metal tritide dissolution study at ITRI indicate that the solubility of titanium tritide is low. The outlines of the project, the preliminary results and future work will be discussed in presentation.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Inhalation Toxicology Research Inst., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789; AC04-76EV01013
- OSTI ID:
- 10165823
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--93-0761C; CONF-9303187--1; CONF-9310101--1; ON: DE93015023
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
DISSOLUTION
DOSIMETRY
ERBIUM COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN TRITIDE
INHALATION
NEUTRON GENERATORS
PARTICLE SIZE
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
RADIONUCLIDE EFFECTS, KINETICS, AND TOXICOLOGY
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RESPIRATORY TRACT CELLS
SOLUBILITY
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS