Types of Heavy Water

An isotope is a version of an element with the same number of protons as the original. However, the number of neutrons will be different. For example, deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen, and heavy water is a form of water associated with deuterium. Heavy water is prepared by multiple electrolysis of the water main. Heavy water has a long list of uses. 

Using it as a moderator in nuclear plants is one of the most acknowledged uses of heavy water. There are 3 different heavy water types: semi-heavy water, heavy oxygen water, and tritiated water. All types of heavy water have the advantages of their use. 

Importance of heavy water

• It acts as a neutron moderator in nuclear reactors.
• The heavy water-moderated reactors form tritium.
• Preparation of deuterium by electrolysis
• Used as a tracer compound to study the various reaction mechanism
• To label hydrogen in organic chemistry.
• Used in Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy
• They are used in nuclear magnetic resonance.
• Therapeutic purpose with anticancer drugs

Types of heavy water – Example

Heavy water has three different types.

Semi-heavy water

• Semi-heavy water is somewhat between ordinary water and hard water.
• Denoted as HDO
• It has both protium and deuterium as  hydrogen components (50-50)
• It is more abundant in heavy water than pure D2O and H2O.
• Several studies carried out testing semi-heavy water as a moderator in reactors. But it will cause neutrons to travel a longer distance and reduce thermal neutron flux. So using semi-heavy water as a moderator might not be a good idea.

Heavy oxygen water

• It contains heavy isotopes of oxygen.
• It is used in Positron-Emission Tomography (PET)
• Used in DNA stable isotope probing
• Used in secondary ion mass spectrometry
• Used in plant ecology

Tritiated water

• It is a form of water with tritium as a hydrogen component.
• It is radioactive
• Hazardous when inhaled, ingested, and absorbed through the skin
• When it is used with phosphorous, it glows- in the dark. This is utilised in signboards.
• Found in nuclear weapon
• Used as a radioactive tracer
• Detected by liquid scintillation counting

Types of heavy water – Questions

• What is heavy water?

Deuterium is such an isotope of hydrogen, and heavy water is a form of water associated with deuterium instead of normal protium.

• What are different isotopes of hydrogen?

Protium, Deuterium and tritium

• Which are the different types of heavy water?

Semi-heavy water, heavy oxygen water, and tritiated water

• What is the composition of semi-heavy water?

It has both protium and deuterium as hydrogen components.

• What is the use of Tritiated water?

It is found in nuclear weapons, used for signboards, and functions as a radioactive tracer.

Conclusion

 There are 3 different types of heavy water: semi-heavy water, heavy oxygen water, and tritiated water. All kinds of heavy water have the advantages of their use. Deuterium is such an isotope of hydrogen, and heavy water is a form of water associated with deuterium instead of normal protium. Heavy water is prepared by multiple electrolysis of the water main. Semi-heavy water is somewhat between ordinary water and hard water, denoted as HDO. It has both protium and deuterium as hydrogen components. 

It is more abundant in heavy water than pure D2O and H2O. Several studies carried out testing semi-heavy water as a moderator in reactors. But it will cause neutrons to travel a longer distance and reduce thermal neutron flux. So using semi-heavy water as a moderator might not be a good idea. 

Heavy oxygen water contains heavy isotopes of oxygen. It is used in Positron-Emission Tomography (PET), DNA stable isotope probing, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. Tritiated water is a form of water with tritium as a hydrogen component. It is radioactive and hazardous. It is found in nuclear weapons and used as a radioactive tracer.