Biological effects of tritium and the issue of radiation effects at low-doses

Numerous tasks for recovering from the severe Fukushima nuclear incident remain after 10 years. Communication difficulties among local governments, scientific experts, and local citizens are pointed out as radiation issues. Contaminated water accumulated at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station is processed by the advanced liquid processing system (ALPS) to remove most of the radioactive materials, except tritium. Disposal of the ALPS-treated water containing tritium is a topic of concern not only in Japan but also all over the world in recent years. This review paper summarizes the biological effects of tritium and countermeasures for ensuring food safety against tritium contamination. We also introduce the challenge of radiation researchers to elucidate low-dose radiation risk. Continuous effort to provide appreciated scientific information is indispensable to communicating radiation risks. (author)