ANOMALOUS GROWTH OF MICROORGANISMS PRODUCED BY CHANGES IN ISOTOPES IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT

Abstract
Evidence is presented that the rare isotopes of hydrogen and of oxygen are no more toxic than the more abundant isotopes the anomalous growth effects are caused by the unusual mixtures of isotopes within the organism when they are transferred from the environment of one isotope to another. Growth phenomena were observed in micro-organisms grown in 92% H2O18 or 100% D2O and transferred to H2Ol6 E. coli examined in the logarithmic growth phase in either medium did not differ in shape, size, or morphological features from those grown in H2O. However, when transferred to media containing normal H2O, they underwent the same erratic growth phenomena as reported on organisms grown in H2O and transferred to D2O.