What does tritiated mean?
Tritiated refers to materials or substances that contain or have been treated with tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. This term is commonly used in scientific and medical contexts to describe samples, compounds, or water that have been labeled or modified with tritium for research, diagnostic, or therapeutic purposes. The use of tritiated materials allows researchers to track and study various biological, chemical, or physical processes. However, handling tritiated materials requires special precautions to prevent radiation exposure and contamination. The term tritiated is an important concept in fields such as nuclear medicine, molecular biology, and environmental science.
adjectiveContaining or having been treated with tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen.
- Containing tritium
- Having been treated with tritium
"The laboratory used tritiated water to calibrate the radiation detectors."
"The tritiated samples were handled with care to avoid contamination."
"The researchers used tritiated thymidine to study DNA synthesis."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of tritiated
The term tritiated originates from tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen discovered in 1934 by Harold Urey and his colleagues. The word tritium comes from the Greek word 'tritos', meaning 'third', referring to its position in the periodic table as the third isotope of hydrogen. The suffix '-ated' is added to form an adjective indicating a substance containing or treated with tritium.
Usage notes
Formal or technical contexts, often in scientific or medical fields.