The rate of tritium /3-decay-induced isotopic exchange between tritium gas and water vapor is found to be constant within a fourfold variation in the water vapor density, but to increase as a second-order function of the tritium concentration. Inert gases, present in large excess, appeared to function purely as moderating media for the tritium /3-energy. With helium gas as the moderator and tritium concentration in the range from 0.05 to 0.7 c./l., the reaction rate in mc./l.'/day at the ambient temperature of 22 ± 2°is observed as d(HTO)/d< = 3.6 X 10-6(T2)2, where (T2) is the initial tritium concentration in mc./l. This exchange reaction is strongly inhibited by the presence of nitric oxide in the reaction mixture. The results are consistent with a reaction mechanism involving radical intermediates.

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