What is heavy water and what is it used for?

What is heavy water and what is it used for?

What exactly is heavy water? If you have heard of this term but are not sure of its nature, this article is for you. There are some differences with ordinary water (known as light water) both in characteristics and uses.

For this reason, we are going to tell you in this article everything you need to know about the Heavy water, its characteristics, uses and much more.

What is heavy water or hard water?

heavy water

Chemical elements often have multiple isotopes, indicating that a single element can exist in multiple forms depending on its internal structure. This phenomenon is exemplified by the hydrogen found in heavy water.

Considering the structure of water, Represented as H2O, we are referring, whether we realize it or not, to light water. In contrast, there is a molecule with the same composition in which the hydrogen is not replaced by its most common isotope, known as protium, but by a heavier isotope of the element, called deuterium.

What distinctions arise from the alteration of hydrogen isotopes in the comparison of light water and heavy water?

Differences between heavy water and light water

uses of heavy water

Any alteration that occurs at the molecular level in a substance, including water, produces changes in its properties and characteristics. Therefore, The inclusion of deuterium in the H2O of heavy water distinguishes it from light water.

The distinction observed at the molecular level indicates that light water contains one proton and no neutrons in its nucleus, while heavy water consists of one proton and one additional neutron. This variation between the two hydrogen isotopes is the basis for classifying deuterium as a heavy isotope.

Heavy water has a higher molecular weight compared to light water. It also has a higher density than light water. Heavy water also has a higher level of acidity compared to light water.

Beyond the above-mentioned distinctions in terms of substance and properties, the differences between the consumption of heavy water and that of light or normal water should not be overlooked. Indeed, the ingestion of significant quantities of heavy water can cause significant biochemical alterations in the body.

Is it possible to consume heavy water?

deuterium dioxide

The question about heavy water consumption arises from its presence in minimal quantities in the tap water we normally use.

Although a small amount may not pose significant risks, ingesting large amounts of heavy water can cause cellular changes, attributed to the different mass of hydrogen atoms compared to light water.

One of the consequences of excessive intake of heavy water is dizziness, which arises from the density changes it induces in the fluid of the inner ear, the region that houses the organ of balance.

Therefore, it is advised that, although small amounts do not usually present problems, the preferred option is to consume light water instead of heavy water, looking for water with maximum purityHowever, what measures can be taken to ensure that the tap water supplied to our residences is free of impurities? What methods can be employed to remove impurities and heavy metals from water?

Although it has been shown that significant consumption of heavy water is required for harmful effects to become apparent, the question remains: how can I ensure that the levels of heavy water present in my home are within acceptable limits?

When drinking tap water, We inherently accept any impurities or harmful substances that may be present in its composition. Therefore, the most effective method to ensure the consumption of tap water of superior quality and purity is the installation of a reverse osmosis system.

These purification systems use filters designed to remove contaminants such as lime and heavy metals, which, while not characteristic of high-quality water, can occasionally be present in tap water.

Uses of heavy water

We have already seen that heavy water cannot be consumed in large quantities. However, it has many uses in the industrial field. Let's look at some notable uses of heavy water:

  • Nuclear reactors use heavy water primarily as a moderator and coolant.A significant benefit of heavy water reactors is their ability to use natural uranium as fuel, thus avoiding the costly process of uranium enrichment.
  • Neutron scattering experiments: In the fields of physics and biology, heavy water plays an important role in neutron scattering experiments. By replacing deuterium with normal hydrogen atoms within a compound, researchers can determine the structure and dynamics of that compound.
  • Deuterium isotopic labeling is frequently used in Biological experiments to trace the uptake and metabolic pathways of substances within cells or organismsIn the field of chemistry, the notable distinction between hydrogen and deuterium allows the application of heavy water in NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance).
  • Spectroscopy and FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), which facilitates the analysis and interpretation of spectral data.
  • Deuterium production: The main source of deuterium is heavy water, which finds applications in military contexts (as a component of nuclear weapons), industrial sectors (serving as a labeling agent in the pharmaceutical field) and scientific research (in particular in research related to the isotopic effect).

Is heavy water bad for your health?

Little is known about the harmful health effects of heavy water. Considering that one in every 7.000 hydrogen atoms is deuterium and the human body is made up of 75% water, it is likely that we already have some of the harmful effects of heavy water. you have between 6 and 8 grams of heavy water in your veins.

In these quantities it should not be dangerous, because then we would all die. What we do know is that the bond formed between deuterium and oxygen in D2O is somewhat stronger than the bond in H2O.

We also know that many of the chemical processes that keep us alive require the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen. Since it takes more energy to break down D2O molecules, these processes can slow down or stop altogether, killing us in some way.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about what heavy water is and its uses.


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