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Title: RBE (relative biological effectiveness) of tritium beta radiation to gamma radiation and x-rays analyzed by both molecular and genetic methods

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5596676

The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of tritium beta radiation to /sup 60/Co gamma radiation was determined using sex-linked recessive lethals (SLRL) induced in Drosophila melanogaster spermatozoa as the biological effect. The SLRL test, a measure of mutations induced in germ cells transmitted through successive generations, yields a linear dose-response curve in the range used in these experiments. From these ratios of the slopes of the /sup 3/H beta and the /sup 60/ Co gamma radiation linear dose response curves, an RBE of 2.7 is observed. When sources of error are considered, this observation suggests that the tritium beta particle is 2.7 /plus minus/ 0.3 times more effective per unit of energy absorbed in inducing gene mutations transmitted to successive generation than /sup 60/Co gamma radiation. Ion tracks with a high density of ions (high LET) are more efficient than tracks with a low ion density (low LET) in inducing transmissible mutations, suggesting interaction among products of ionization. Molecular analysis of x-ray induced mutations shows that most mutations are deletions ranging from a few base pairs as determined from sequence data to multi locus deletions as determined from complementation tests and Southern blots. 14 refs., 1 fig.

Research Organization:
Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (USA). Dept. of Zoology and Physiology
DOE Contract Number:
FG05-86ER60393
OSTI ID:
5596676
Report Number(s):
CONF-881190-4; ON: DE89015373
Resource Relation:
Conference: 3. Japan-US workshop on tritium radiobiology and health physics, Kyoto, Japan, 8-10 Nov 1988; Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English