Tritiated water

On heavy water

Colorless liquid

Liquid

1.21 g · cm -3

4.48 ° C

101.51 ° C

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Tritium oxide or heavy water is a chemical compound. It is analogous to the water molecule, however, the hydrogen atoms are replaced by atoms of tritium oxide in the heaviest hydrogen isotope tritium. Consequently, the molar mass of tritium oxide is higher than that of water or heavy water ( deuterium oxide), which explains the name " about heavy water ".

Because tritium is radioactive and decays to helium (half-life: 12.32 years ) on heavy water is unstable. The decay of tritium atoms an electron and an antineutrino are free, there is a β - decay.

Tritium oxide occurs in nature only in very small amounts.

Due to its high diffusivity on heavy water is particularly dangerous in gaseous form for living things because it all organs equally loaded with ionizing radiation at exposure. Particularly the very probable installation of tritium atoms in the DNA is dangerous, leading to massive radiation damage. Not only the affected, but also other molecules are changed, since the decay of tritium releases ionizing radiation.