Re: tritium or not -Reply

[FRAMEP@ORAU.GOV]

In response to the following question:

> OK, so if I'm out on a call regarding some radioactive materials
>mess...and tritium is the isotope...
>3. What is the primary hazard with a tritium spilll

Wes commented:

>3) Inhalation.  Depends on how big it is.  Ventillation is #1; Toss
>absorbent material on the spill is #2; If real big, supplied air
>might be advised.  If not so big, who cares?  You can inhale a lot
>of tritium before there is a problem  (ALI is 80 mCi for tritiated
>water...It takes a lot of tritiated gas to make that much water.)

To that might be added: absorption through the skin if the spill is
HTO. Something on the order of 30 to 50 % of the intake would be due
to absorption. Thats why you don't see respirator protection factors
above 2 for HTO. The fine print in App A of 10CFR20 has a nice
discussion about this. 


Paul Frame
Oak Ridge Assoc. Univ.