An Overview of organically bound tritium experiments in plants following a short atmospheric HTO exposure

Galeriu, D.*; Melintescu, A.*; Strack, S.*; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko  ; Kim, S. B.*

Tritium transfer from atmosphere to plants and the subsequent conversion into organically bound tritium (OBT) strongly depends on the plant characteristics, seasons, and meteorological conditions, which have a large variability. This review presents an overview of relevant experimental data for many plants including wheat, rice, and soybean during short-term exposure. Tritiated water (HTO) uptake by plants during the daytime or nighttime has an important role in further OBT synthesis. OBT formation in crops depends on the development stage, length, and condition of exposure. OBT translocation to the edible plant parts differs between the crops analysed. The present study is a preliminary step for the development of a robust model of crop contamination after an HTO accidental release.