title: The metabolism of 3H compounds and limits for intakes by workers.
abstract: A wide variety of 3H compounds with different physico-chemical and radiotoxic properties are produced and used throughout the world. For the purpose of worker radiation safety, 3H compounds have been divided into five classes: oxide, gaseous, insoluble, soluble organic substances and precursors of nucleic acids. Based on recent radiobiological and dosimetric data the quality factor for 3H has been suggested (QF = 2). Standards for oxide and gaseous 3H, reduced by a factor of 3-10, as compared with International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations, have been suggested. New standards, 2-30 times lower than those for 3H oxide, have been worked out for the other three classes of 3H compounds. A limit for removable surface contamination from nonvolatile forms of 3H has been proposed (LSC = 1 kBq cm-2).
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005740:Gases; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D051379:Mice; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced; D009787:Occupational Medicine; D011831:Radiation Genetics; D051381:Rats; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects; D014316:Tritium / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D014867:Water; D014316:Tritium; C033961:tritium oxide