Radioactive Heavy Water(deuterium labeling water)

Radioactive Heavy Water(deuterium labeling water)?

Many people assume heavy water (deuterium labeling water)is radioactive because it uses a heavier isotope of hydrogen, is used to moderate nuclear reactions, and is used in reactors to form tritium (which is radioactive).

Pure heavy water is not radioactive. Commercial grade heavy water(deuterium labeling water), much like ordinary tap water and any other natural water, is slightly radioactive because it contains trace amounts of tritiated water. This does not present any sort of radiation risk.

Heavy water(deuterium labeling water) used as a nuclear power plant coolant contains significantly more tritium because neutron bombardment of the deuterium in heavy water sometimes forms tritium.

Is Heavy Water Dangerous To Drink?

Although heavy water isn't radioactive, it's still not a great idea to drink a large volume of it because the deuterium from the water doesn't act quite the same way as protium (normal hydrogen isotope) in biochemical reactions. You would not suffer harm from taking a sip of heavy water (deuterium labeling water)or drinking a glass of it, but if you only drank heavy water, you'd replace enough protium with deuterium to suffer negative health effects. It's estimated you would need to replace 25-50% of the regular water in your body with heavy water to be harmed. In mammals, 25% replacement causes sterility. 50% replacement would kill you. Keep in mind, much of the water in your body comes from food you eat, not just water you drink. Also, your body naturally contains small amounts of heavy water(deuterium labeling water) and every smaller amounts of tritiated water.

 Ref:https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-deuterium-607910