About Tritium

What is Tritium?

  • Is Tritium a relative
    of hydrogen?
  • What are the
    scientific attributes
    of tritium?
  • Tritium is
    all around us.
  • How does tritium
    affect the human
    body?
  • Radiation exposure
    in our daily lives
  • Difference between
    becquerels (Bq)
    and sieverts (Sv)?
  • ALPS treated water contains a radioactive substance called "tritium" that cannot be removed by purification equipment.
    Tritium is a relative of hydrogen atom that has two more neutrons, . Like hydrogen, most tritium bonds with oxygen to form water.

    Is Tritium a relative of hydrogen?

    Source: 8th Meeting of the Subcommittee on Handling of ALPS Treated Water Document 2-1 (Japanese only)

    What are the scientific attributes of tritium?
  • Tritium has two more neutrons than a normal hydrogen atom. This makes its atomic nucleus unstable. As a result, one of these neutrons releases electrons and changes into a proton thereby changing from tritium into helium. The electrons emitted are beta rays, a type of radiation. These beta rays are a weak type of radiation that can only travel about 5mm through the air.

    What are the scientific attributes of tritium?

    Source: Agency for Natural Resources and Energy website (Japanese only)
    “BOOKLET to Provide Basic Information Regarding Health Effects of Radiation FY2018 EDITION” (Ministry of the Environment)

    Tritium is all around us.
  • Tritium is all around us.
    Tritium is formed every day on earth by the cosmic radiation from space, the rain that falls on us, the water in our rivers, and even our drinking water, contains 0.1~1 becquerels*1 of tritium*2 per liter.
    Tritium is also formed by radiation at nuclear power facilities both within and outside of Japan.

    Tritium is all around us.

    *1 Unit for measuring the ability of radioactive materials to give off radiation.

    *2 According to the WHO “Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality”, the indicator (guidance level) of tritium in drinking water is 10,000 Bq/liter

    Source: 2nd Meeting of the Subcommittee on Handling of ALPS Treated Water Document 4 (Japanese only)

    How does tritium affect the human body?
  • Tritium has little impact on the human body compared to other radioactive substances.
    Since the radiation given off by tritium is very weak and cannot even penetrate our skin, external exposure from tritium is not really a concern. There is also no risk of internal exposure since tritium is excreted from the body in the same manner as water and does not accumulate or concentrate inside the body.
    Drinking water guidelines

    How does tritium affect the human body?

    Source: Agency for Natural Resources and Energy website (Japanese only)
    “BOOKLET to Provide Basic Information Regarding Health Effects of Radiation FY2018 EDITION” (Ministry of the Environment)

    Radiation exposure in our daily lives
  • In our daily lives we are exposed to naturally-occurring radiation and artificially-produced radiation. Each person in Japan is exposed to 2.1 mSv of natural radiation per year.

    Radiation exposure in our daily lives

    Source: “BOOKLET to Provide Basic Information Regarding Health Effects of Radiation FY2019 EDITION” (Ministry of the Environment)

    Difference between becquerels (Bq) and sieverts (Sv)?
  • Becquerel is a unit for measuring the ability of a radioactive material to emit radiation. In contrast, a sievert is a unit for measuring the amount of impact that radiation has on the human body. Even if the number of becquerels is equal, the impact on the human body may differ, or in other words, the number of sieverts may differ, depending on the type of radioactive material and the part of the body that is exposed to the radiation.

    Difference between becquerels (Bq) and sieverts (Sv)?

    Source: Agency for Natural Resources and Energy website (Japanese only)

    Is Tritium a relative of hydrogen?

What is Tritium?

Is Tritium a relative of hydrogen?

ALPS treated water contains a radioactive substance called "tritium" that cannot be removed by purification equipment. Tritium is a relative of hydrogen atom that has two more neutrons, . Like hydrogen, most tritium bonds with oxygen to form water.

Is Tritium a relative of hydrogen?

What are the scientific attributes of tritium?

"Tritium has two more neutrons than a normal hydrogen atom. This makes its atomic nucleus unstable. As a result, one of these neutrons releases electrons and changes into a proton thereby changing from tritium into helium.
The electrons emitted are beta rays, a type of radiation. These beta rays are a weak type of radiation that can only travel about 5mm through the air."

What are the scientific attributes of tritium?

Tritium is all around us.

Tritium is all around us.
Tritium is formed every day on earth by the cosmic radiation from space, the rain that falls on us, the water in our rivers, and even our drinking water, contains 0.1~1 becquerels*1 of tritium*2 per liter.
Tritium is also formed by radiation at nuclear power facilities both within and outside of Japan.

Tritium is all around us.

*1 Unit for measuring the ability of radioactive materials to give off radiation.

*2 According to the WHO “Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality”, the indicator (guidance level) of tritium in drinking water is 10,000 Bq/liter

How does tritium affect the human body?

Tritium has little impact on the human body compared to other radioactive substances.
Since the radiation given off by tritium is very weak and cannot even penetrate our skin, external exposure from tritium is not really a concern. There is also no risk of internal exposure since tritium is excreted from the body in the same manner as water and does not accumulate or concentrate inside the body.

Drinking water guidelines

How does tritium affect the human body?

Radiation exposure in our daily lives

In our daily lives we are exposed to naturally-occurring radiation and artificially-produced radiation. Each person in Japan is exposed to 2.1 mSv of natural radiation per year.

Radiation exposure in our daily lives

Difference between becquerels (Bq) and sieverts (Sv)?

Becquerel is a unit for measuring the ability of a radioactive material to emit radiation. In contrast, a sievert is a unit for measuring the amount of impact that radiation has on the human body. Even if the number of becquerels is equal, the impact on the human body may differ, or in other words, the number of sieverts may differ, depending on the type of radioactive material and the part of the body that is exposed to the radiation.

Difference between becquerels (Bq) and sieverts (Sv)?

Tritium Analysis Methods

The beta ray radiation given off by tritium is so weak that it cannot be directly measured.
Therefore, we use a special analysis method to measure concentration that entails adding a chemical that glows slightly when hit by radiation (scintillator) and measuring the amount of light given off.
This method conforms with“Tritium Analysis Methods” stated in Series 9 of the Radiation Measurement Methods (made by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science).

The Movie of“Tritium Analysis Methods”
1

Preparation of sample water

Preparation of sample water

The analyst reads the QR code on the container containing the sample water and registers it in various information systems.

2

Dissolution of impurities

Dissolution of impurities

Reagents (sodium peroxide and potassium permanganate) are added in the sample water to dissolve impurities.

3

Impurities removal

Impurities removal

The sample is distilled to remove impurities that would interfere with measurements.

4

Adding reagent

Adding reagent

A reagent (scintillator) that reacts to radiation by emitting light is added to the distilled water.
The sample is stored in a dark environment for one day.

5

Concentration measurement

Concentration measurement

The sample is put into the measurement device.
The concentration of tritium is measured by three detectors that capture the amount of light coming from the sample.

For analyzing tritium contained in fish, it takes about one and a half months due to additional pretreatment process.

Confirmation of analysis results

Analysis results are automatically collected and graphed.

Open Call for Technical Proposal

At this point in time there is no technology for separating tritium from ALPS treated water that has reached the practical application level. A wide variety of research with third-parties, etc. is underway to examine the possibility of bringing such tritium separation technology to the practical application stage. And, if such technology can be realistically applied, we shall proactively examine it and put it to use.

Technical proposals accepted since January 2023

*Click the following link for more information
Technology to Separate Tritium from Water Treated with Multi-Nuclide Removal Equipment (ALPS)

【Attention】
In relation to the open call for “Technology to separate Tritium from Water Treated with Multi-Nuclide Removal Equipment (ALPS)”, it was reported that there was acts such as demanding money based on a false information that their proposal has been adopted.
TEPCO Group Companies, Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI), a third party organization, and the relevant ministries will NOT demand for any money related to this open call.

Open Call for Technical Proposal