Twisted Experiment: Is Drinking Heavy Water Suicide?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter kjones000
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Experiment
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential effects and implications of consuming heavy water (deuterium oxide) in significant quantities. Participants explore the biological and physiological consequences of replacing regular water in the body with heavy water, touching on aspects of toxicity, legality, and experimental considerations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses curiosity about the feasibility and consequences of drinking heavy water, questioning whether it would be considered suicide or merely pointless.
  • Another participant suggests that the extra neutron in heavy water might not be harmful, but raises concerns that its increased weight could slow bodily processes and act like a poison.
  • A different viewpoint proposes testing on an animal first due to potential legal issues and suggests that the mass difference could strain the heart and slow chemical reactions in the body.
  • One participant notes that large amounts of heavy water are known to be toxic, referencing external sources for further information.
  • Another participant expresses skepticism about the viability of such an experiment, highlighting concerns about bodily processes that rely on regular water.
  • A later reply indicates that the participant has decided against the experiment, citing the toxicity levels of heavy water compared to table salt and discussing the cost and availability of heavy water.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the safety or viability of consuming heavy water, with multiple competing views on its effects and the implications of such an action. Concerns about toxicity and physiological impact are raised, but no definitive agreement is reached.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the legal restrictions surrounding the distribution of heavy water and the potential for misinformation regarding its cost. The discussion reflects uncertainty about the biological effects of heavy water and the ethical considerations of conducting experiments on living organisms.

kjones000
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
I recently read something about an experiment involving a very large pool of heavy water (deuterium oxide). The article stated the cost of the water and the volume of pool. My immediate thought was "Hey! Heavy water is cheap!". My next thought was "What would happen if someone replaced most of the water in their body with heavy water?". More of a biology question than a physics question, but if I post on a biology board they will just send me here.

Yes, I am considering performing the experiment if you don't need government permission to buy heavy water. I can afford to drink and cook with heavy water for a few months (assuming the quoted price was correct).

Is this suicide? Is it pointless? Something in between?

A side note: it might be fun create some paper that would carbon date to about 50k BC by growing papyrus in an atmosphere with artificially created isotope ratios, and then bury the paper near the sphinx. :devil: (No, I wouldn't actually do that) :smile:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Well, upon thought. It seems that it can be done. I wouldent think the extra neutron would harm you in any way. But since heavy water is 10% heavier than regular water, then this migh slow down your bodily processes, and act like a poison. Its your choice man.
 
I would rather try it on an animal first. But legal issues might arise. You would have to check. It must have been studied by someone. Mass difference might actually make your heart work harder on heavy blood, which would be no good. And all chemical reactions in your body might be a bit slower, also no good.
 
kjones000 said:
I recently read something about an experiment involving a very large pool of heavy water (deuterium oxide). The article stated the cost of the water and the volume of pool. My immediate thought was "Hey! Heavy water is cheap!". My next thought was "What would happen if someone replaced most of the water in their body with heavy water?". More of a biology question than a physics question, but if I post on a biology board they will just send me here.

It's already known that large amounts of heavy water are toxic. See for example the following links.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_water
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mheavywater.html http://yarchive.net/med/heavy_water.html
 
Surely some of the bodily processes which use water specifically wouldn't work with heavy water? ... I have doubts about how viable it'd be to try it. But if you ever do, let us know. It'd be interesting, to say the least!
 
Thanks

Thank for the links. Changing my body chemistry will remain a thought experiment. Stomach lining = good. Still, an LD50 of about 40kg makes it far less toxic than (for example) table salt. Interesting.

I double checked the volume and price values for that pool of heavy water. It worked out to $5/kg, not $300/kg. Since you had multiple quotes of $300, either the article I read was wrong or they were just renting the water (not a joke, a possibility).

Also interesting was the fact that distribution IS government controlled. Still, I could probably find a way to extract small quantities in my apartment (my electric bill is paid by my apartment complex :devil: ).