Tritium

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. The nucleus of tritium (sometimes called a triton) contains one proton and two neutrons, whereas the nucleus of the common isotope hydrogen-1 (protium) contains just one proton, and that of hydrogen-2 (deuterium) contains one proton and one neutron.

Properties

Tritium is a gas at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Tritium is produced naturally in the upper atmosphere when cosmic rays strike nitrogen molecules. Tritium is also produced in heavy water-moderated reactors whenever a deuterium nucleus captures a neutron. This reaction has a quite small absorption cross section, making heavy water a good neutron moderator, and relatively little tritium is produced.

Uses

Tritium is used in nuclear weapons for boosting a fission bomb or the fission primary of a thermonuclear weapon, but the amount used is small compared to the amount produced by natural processes. Tritium is also used as a tracer in biological and environmental studies, and in hydrology, geology, oceanography, and archaeology.

Health risks

Tritium presents a health risk if ingested or inhaled. It can combine with oxygen to form tritiated water molecules, and it can be incorporated into biological molecules and tissues, leading to increased radiation exposure.

See also

• Nuclear fusion
• Radioactive decay
• Radiation poisoning

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