Dear Forum

	About the Lithium.....  Li is very hydroscopic like 
Na and K, and thus needs to be stored in a dry, O2 free 
atmosphere.  I did some work a while back (1985??) at 
Arizona on Li-H2O and LiC-H2O reactions for 3H analysis.  
There was a significant fractionation of 3H thus I would 
suspect a similar problem with D/H.

	2Li + H2O - 2LiOH + H2 low temperature

	2Li + H2O - Li2O +  H2  high temperature

	This reaction is very exothermic and thus even at 
elevated temperatures (which is VERY DANGEROUS!!!!!) it 
would be difficult to control the reaction.

Bob Kalin
Queen's University of Belfast
Belfast BT7 1NN   N.Ireland UK
44 1232 274018 (Phone)