In vivo tritium contamination effects on water exchange across the erythrocyte membranes: a nuclear magnetic resonance study.

Abstract The effects produced by chronic in vivo tritium contamination on the process of water diffusion across the rat erythrocyte membranes were investigated using an NMR relaxation method. As the level of tritium intake increased, an inhibition of the water permeability was observed, reaching values of 40% for corresponding absorbed doses of about 100 mGy. The activation energy of the transport process was also significantly increased, suggesting that the mechanism of the water diffusion across the membrane had changed.