Induction of specific-locus mutations in the mouse by tritiated water

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6405536

Russell, W L; Cumming, R B; Kelly, E M; Phipps, E L

The results reported are the first obtained on transmtted gene mutations induced by tritium in any form in any mammal. They are, therefore, of obvious practical importance in the estimaton of the possible biological hazards of man-made tritium in the environment. Male mice were injected intraperitoneally with either 0.75 or 0.50 mCi per gram of body weight of tritiated water. They were then used in our standard specific-locus mutation test in which the treated wild-type stock of mice is mated to a stock homozygous for seven recessive marker genes. Mutations at any of the seven loci are scored in the offspring. The earlier matings provided information on the mutation frequency in germ cells irradiated in postspermatogonial stages, and the later matings gave the mutation frequency in treated spermatogonia. The spermatogonia are the important cells so far as human risks are concerned, and the mouse results for this germ-cell stage yielded a relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of approximately 2 for tritiated water compared with low-dose-rate gamma irradiation. There are various uncertainties involved in arriving at this figure, and the difference between it and l is probably not statistically significant. However, for risk estimation, it seems prudent to use the RBE value of 2, which is, after all, the best point estimate computed from the present data.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6405536
• Report Number(s): CONF-781029-5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560161 -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Man
560162* -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
GAMETES
GENE MUTATIONS
GENETIC EFFECTS
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
GERM CELLS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INJECTION
INTAKE
INTRAPERITONEAL INJECTION
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MALES
MAMMALS
MICE
MUTAGENESIS
MUTATION FREQUENCY
MUTATIONS
POPULATIONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOINDUCTION
RISK ASSESSMENT
RODENTS
SPERMATOGONIA
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
TRITIUM OXIDES
VERTEBRATES