Homogeneous isotope equilibrium of tritium in aqueous solutions of carbohydrates: glucose

Abstract

Information on equilibrium of tritium exchange reactions in homogeneous liquid systems is important for radiobiology. Developed methods of quasi-equilibrium evaporation and vacuum distillation have been applied to study distribution of tritium in glucose aqueous solutions at moderate temperatures. The results show that both glucose hydroxyls and hydrate water molecules are enriched with tritium. Equilibrium water vapor over glucose solutions contains more tritium than equilibrium vapor over pure water. The distribution is quite insensitive to temperature variations between 20 and 70 °C. The reasoning by analogy results in high possibility of concentrating tritium in sugar parts of DNA and RNA molecules. It supposes to refine the models used in estimating tritium damage for cell nuclei.