Comparison of the Binding Strength of Hydrogen in Grain Near Wolsung Nuclear Power Plants

Because the Tissue Bound Tritium of food irradiates the organic tissues of a man during a longer time than the Tissue Free Water Tritium, we found the ratio of labile and bound hydrogen, which is the direct source of TBT concentration, in grain such as rice and barley. Tissue free water was extracted from rice and barley sampled, adjacent to Wolsung nuclear power plants of CANDU type, by freeze-drying. Tissue bound water was taken from some of the dried samples by high-pressure combustion. The other of the samples was washed by tritium-free water for 2-3 hours, and dried again by freeze-drying. Tissue bound water was taken again from some of the second dried samples by the combustion. The extracted tissue free and bound waters were distilled and TFWT and TBT concentrations of them were counted by a liquid scintillation counter. Through alternating washing, drying and combustion until the concentration of TBT would be constant, the tritium concentration existing as bound hydrogen was found. The ratios of labile and bound hydrogen of rice and barley were determined by TR concentration, initial TBT concentration and bound tritium concentration. The ratios of bound hydrogen of rice and barley were 0.55, 0.60 relatively.