Tritium (H-3) - doe-hdbk-1106-97

DOE-HDBK-1106-97

Instructor's Notes

5. Physical half-life (T1/2): 12.35 years.

6. Effective half-life (Teff): 10 days (the time it takes for

of the material to be eliminated from the body by both

biological processes and radioactive decay).

7. Critical organ: Whole body (the part of the body where

the most limiting dose is delivered).

8. Personnel monitoring: Bioassay - urinanalysis, NOT

detected with a dosimeter (thermoluminescent dosimeter

(TLD) or film).

9. Annual Limit of Intake (ALI): Tritiated water: 80 mCi

Elemental tritium is not taken

(3 x 109 Bq) by inhalation or ingestion.

into the body and is assigned

an ALI based on a TEDE

10. Shielding: None (the low-energy beta is not very

resulting from lung exposure.

penetrating).

However, in many

environments elemental

11. Special Considerations:

tritium converts rapidly to

Cannot be measured directly with a thin window G-

tritiated water vapor.

M probe (standard survey meter).