title: An analysis of workers' tritium concentration in urine samples as a function of time after intake at Korean pressurised heavy water reactors.
abstract: In general, internal exposure from tritium at pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) accounts for ∼20-40 % of the total radiation dose. Tritium usually reaches the equilibrium concentration after a few hours inside the body and is then excreted from the body with an effective half-life in the order of 10 d. In this study, tritium metabolism was reviewed using its excretion rate in urine samples of workers at Korean PHWRs. The tritium concentration in workers' urine samples was also measured as a function of time after intake. On the basis of the monitoring results, changes in the tritium concentration inside the body were then analysed.
authors.affiliation: KHNP Central Research Institute, 25-1, Jangdong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-343, Republic of Korea. hkkim1@khnp.co.kr
authors.forename: Hee Geun
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Young
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000652:urine*; D017666:Deuterium Oxide; D006801:Humans; D009688:Nuclear Reactors; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011312:Pressure; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014316:Tritium / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D014316:Tritium; D017666:Deuterium Oxide