Relative biological effectiveness of tritiated water on human chromosomes of lymphocytes and bone marrow cells

One of the major toxic effluent from nuclear power industries is tritiated water (HTO), which is released into the environment in large quantities. Low dose radiation effects and dose rate effects of HTO on human lymphocytes and bone marrow cells are not well studied. The present study was performed to investigate dose-response relationship for chromosome aberration frequencies in the human lymphocytes and bone marrow cells, by HTO in-vitro exposure at low dose ranges of 0.1 to 1 Gy. Go lymphocytes and bone marrow cells were incubated for 10 - 150 minutes with HTO at 2 cGy/min. Also 60Co γ and 137Cs γ rays were used as controls. Dicentric chromosomes were scored in 1,000 to 2,000 cells of each experimental series. The RBE values of HTO at low dose range for the induction of dicentric chromosomes and chromatid type aberrations were 2.7 in lymphocytes and approximately 3.8 in bone marrow cells with respect to 60Co γ ray, respectively. Also lymphocytes were chronically exposed to HTO for 24 to 72 hrs at lower dose rates (0.2 and 0.05 cGy/min). The yields of dicentrics and rings decreased with the reduction in the dose rate of HTO, presenting a clear dose rate effects of HTO. These results provide an useful information for the assessment for health risk in humans exposed to low concentration level to HTO. (author)