Saliva–Serum Ratios of Tritium after the Administration of Tritiated Water

Taggart and Hytten1 reported results which indicated that the salivary glands can concentrate deuterium oxide above the level in serum of human subjects. They had administered deuterium oxide orally to normal pregnant women and found, 3 hr. later, saliva–serum ratios ranging from 1.05 to 1.34, and in one subject after 24 hr. they found a ratio of 1.39.