PERCUTANEOUS-ABSORPTION OF TRITIUM-GAS-CONTAMINATED PUMP OIL

One of the radiological problems encountered in tritium handling facil ities is the hazards associated with tritium's ability to label and de grade organic materials. Experiments in which male hairless rats have been contaminated with tritium-gas-contaminated pump oil have demonstr ated that tritium deposited on the skin provides an input of organical ly bound tritium and tritiated water in the body. The accumulation of organically bound tritium at the point of contact in the skin and in v arious tissues influenced tritium excretion in urine and feces. The re tention of tritium in the body showed that tritium was mainly metaboli zed and assimilated as organically bound tritium. The distribution of tritiated water was rapid and uniform in the whole-body, Analyses of t ritium excreted in animal urine and feces showed that a significant le vel of organically bound tritium was excreted shortly after exposure, The highest concentration of tritium activity was measured in the expo sed area of the skin. An increased level of tritium accumulation in th e liver and kidneys was seen, Dose calculations showed that the expose d skin had the highest dose, and the skin dose was primarily due to th e retention of organically bound tritium at the point of contact. The interpretation of these data has indicated that the retention of short -term organically bound tritium in the skin may be a dominant factor f or dosimetry purposes.