TRITIUM TRANSPORT AND CYCLING IN THE ENVIRONMENT

The transport and cycling of tritium in the environment can be underst ood in terms of the role of hydrogen in the environment. Physical and chemical isotopic effects, while present in some transport mechanisms and chemical reactions, are not important factors in environmental tri tium dynamics. In addition, because of the role of hydrogen in metabol ism and its ubiquitousness in the environment, organisms have not evol ved mechanisms to accumulate or concentrate hydrogen or its isotopes i n food chains. Therefore, biomagnification of tritium is not a factor in food chain transfer. The lack of significant isotopic effects or bi omagnification means that tritium transport and cycling in the environ ment can be predicted on the basis of the transport processes, hydroge n content, and chemical transformation of hydrogen and its compounds i n the environment.