Tritium:

This section gives introductory data about tritium and its properties.

Environmental Sources

Tritium occurs naturally within the environment.  The Reactions among cosmic rays and upper atmosphere constituents generate tritium. The subsequent are examples of these reactions.

¹⁴₇N + ¹₀n → ³₁H +¹²₆C

²₁H + ²₁H → ³₁H + ¹₁H

Tritium becomes incorporated within water and falls to earth as rain. At an estimated production rate of 4 x 10⁶ Ci/Yr, a world steady state natural inventory of 70 x 10⁶   Ci results.