Heavy water, or D2O, contains the deuterium isotope of hydrogen, which adds weight to the atom. It is used as a regulator in nuclear reactors and is extracted from normal water. Heavy water is mildly toxic to humans and is tightly regulated due to its role in producing weapons-grade plutonium.
Heavy water is the common term for water that includes the deuterium isotope of hydrogen, 2H2O or D2O. The term can refer to water that contains any amount of deuterium, but often refers to water that has been enriched to contain an amount at or near 100%.
The deuterium in heavy water is very similar to ordinary hydrogen, also known as protium, except that it contains an extra neutron. So a deuterium atom contains one neutron, one proton and one electron. The extra neutron adds a small amount of weight, about 10% of the total weight, to the atom, which is what makes it heavy.
This type of water is best known for its role in regulating nuclear reactor processes that do not use enriched uranium. When nuclear reactors engage in fission, they release neutrons. These neutrons move incredibly fast. To have a more controlled chain reaction with unenriched uranium, the neutrons must be slowed down. So a regulator of some sort is used to do this. Beryllium, graphite and plain water are all used as regulators and all have their advantages and limitations. Heavy water is another regulator, with the added neutron making it more stable to regulate the neutrons passing through it.
In nature, deuterium occurs once for every 4000-7000 normal hydrogen atoms. This means that about one in twenty million water molecules are heavy water molecules. This material is not actually created, as such, but is refined. The normal water is taken from large tanks and the small amount of heavy water is extracted from the lighter water. Heavy water is stockpiled by various nations and companies, and because it’s not really spent on its use as a nuclear regulator, these stocks grow over time.
There is an even heavier isotope of hydrogen called tritium, but it is not used for heavy water in nuclear reactors. Tritium is radioactive and occurs very rarely in nature, instead occurring more often as a byproduct of nuclear events. The water itself, fortunately, is not radioactive, but it is mildly toxic to humans. While it is largely the same as regular water, its greater weight affects the rate of some important chemical reactions, including cell division. The level at which heavy water becomes toxic can range from about 10% to 50% of total body water, depending on a number of factors. In the wild, however, these levels will never be reached, so poisoning is not a real concern.
Because of its central role in regulating the fission process of breeder reactors, which can be used to produce weapons-grade plutonium, this substance is tightly regulated. The international community keeps a close eye on nations that produce or purchase large quantities of them, as this can be a sign that the nation is moving towards generating nuclear weapons.
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