After applying the iodine tool for a number of years, in 1983 I
proposed this iodine mechanism. I published and described this
mechanism in 1986 in the first APGE bulletin. Although I have tested
the mechanism continually over the years I have found nothing that
would seriously challenge or contradict the basics of the original
speculation. cg
proposed this iodine mechanism. I published and described this
mechanism in 1986 in the first APGE bulletin. Although I have tested
the mechanism continually over the years I have found nothing that
would seriously challenge or contradict the basics of the original
speculation. cg
| IODINE By Chuck Goudge, GrayStone Labs |
IODINE IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Most of what has been published about iodine in the environment has come from the studies of the
consequence of human iodine deficiency referred to as endemic goiter. Goiter has almost disappeared
with the recognition of the importance of dietary iodine and it's routine addition to table salt. Some
iodine data from goiter studies and subsequent iodine research results are listed below:
Evaporative salts .........................avg. 10 ppb (Roeber)
Ocean ................................................... 50 ppb (Rankama, Sahama)
Igneous rocks ...............................avg. 100 ppb (R. Fuge)
Average Crustal Content ................... 300 ppb (Manson)
Sedimentary rocks .......................avg. 1800 ppb (Itkina, Lygalova)
Soils ..............................................avg. 4800 ppb (Goudge, 300,000 + soil samples)
Evaporative sodium chloride deposits are surprisingly depleted in iodine. A chemist unfamiliar with
iodine would expect it's easy incorporation into the sodium chloride crystals due to the chemical
compatibility of the two elements. However, the data do not support this assumption. The data reveals
that sedimentary rocks are enhanced in iodine and that soils are concentrated even further. Some soils
are amazingly enriched, large areas of Texas average 20,000 ppb soil iodine. This is more than a
10-fold enrichment of the average regolith source material and almost a 70 fold increase over the
average crustal content.
WHY IODINE IS IN THE SOIL - THE HALOGENS
The reason that iodine ultimately concentrates in the soil is the result of its chemistry. Iodine is one of
the halogens, the most reactive group of elements in the periodic table. This group includes fluorine,
chlorine, bromine and iodine. The halogens are prominent anions in the environment, forming largely
ionic molecules. They are powerful oxidizers as neutral atom free radicals. The halogens form diatomic
molecules that are gases at normal temperatures and pressures and therefore are mobile and play
significant roles in the atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.
The halogens are the most organophilic elemental family, they react with hydrocarbons on contact. Their
reactivity makes them primary tools of organic chemistry. A routine, "Iodine Number," unsaturated fat
test must be protected from light to prevent the iodine from breaking saturated bonds. All of the
unsaturated bonds are replaced by iodine within minutes and the "Iodine Number" is calculated as the
grams of iodine absorbed divided by the grams of fat.
Iodine, as a halogen, needs an electron to complete its octet, but this is an electron deficient world. The
size, weight and electron density of iodine produces weak bonds. All of the halogens can and do
replace iodine from almost any molecule. Iodine is continually losing its shared electron and is forced
out as either the gasous/solid mobile diatomic molecule or the reactive free radical. Iodine ends up at
the interfaces, aqueous/sediment and gasous/solid, seeking an electron with little hope of long
maintaining it once it is acquired.
IODINE'S ELECTRON SOURCE IN THE SOIL - HYDROCARBONS
The chemical form of the iodine in the soil has been investigated by many iodine researchers, most
have found that soil iodine and organic matter are related. Vinogradov reported that soil iodine was
tightly held by organic compounds. Magomedova reported that 88% to 99% percent of soil iodine was
insoluble. Whitehead reported an increase in soluble iodine with depth and that iodine and organic
matter are closely correlated at the surface and this correlation decreased with depth, implying that the
iodine at the surface is bound to the organic matter and that these iodoorganics are broken down as
these compounds are buried yielding soluble ionic iodine. Both Sobornikova and Johnson found iodine
concentrations decreasing with depth. Price and Calvert studied iodine in submarine mud and
documented a dynamic system of organic iodine fixation at the sediment/aqueous interface, burial and
eventual oxidation to I2 which then migrated back to the interface. Ninety percent of the iodine fixed at
the interface is liberated after the first 10 meters of burial.
THE SOIL IODINE CYCLE
Soil iodine enrichments and light hydrocarbon seepage have been directly correlated. Hydrocarbon
related iodine enrichments sometimes exceed 10 times the local soil iodine background. All data
indicate a very dynamic surface reaction, iodoorganics in a multi-step equilibrium with the diatomic
iodine gas. This equilibrium is a complex process that begins with the replacement of organically bound
hydrogen by iodine. This reaction is initiated when light breaks the diatomic iodine molecule into free
radicals.
1/2 I2 + LIGHT ----> I + RCH2CH3 ----> RCHICH3 + 1/2H2
This addition immobilizes the volatile hydrocarbons which then accumulate in the soil. The
"precipitated" iodohydrocarbon now exposed to the chemistry and biology of the soil ultimately loses
the iodine by replacement and is oxidized back to elemental iodine, completing the cycle.
RCHICH3 + Cl ----> RCHClCH3+ 1/2 I2
This is a dynamic cycle that continues until the hydrocarbon source is terminated after which the iodine
will disperse looking for a new source of electrons.
Click here for more information on iodine.
Most of what has been published about iodine in the environment has come from the studies of the
consequence of human iodine deficiency referred to as endemic goiter. Goiter has almost disappeared
with the recognition of the importance of dietary iodine and it's routine addition to table salt. Some
iodine data from goiter studies and subsequent iodine research results are listed below:
Evaporative salts .........................avg. 10 ppb (Roeber)
Ocean ................................................... 50 ppb (Rankama, Sahama)
Igneous rocks ...............................avg. 100 ppb (R. Fuge)
Average Crustal Content ................... 300 ppb (Manson)
Sedimentary rocks .......................avg. 1800 ppb (Itkina, Lygalova)
Soils ..............................................avg. 4800 ppb (Goudge, 300,000 + soil samples)
Evaporative sodium chloride deposits are surprisingly depleted in iodine. A chemist unfamiliar with
iodine would expect it's easy incorporation into the sodium chloride crystals due to the chemical
compatibility of the two elements. However, the data do not support this assumption. The data reveals
that sedimentary rocks are enhanced in iodine and that soils are concentrated even further. Some soils
are amazingly enriched, large areas of Texas average 20,000 ppb soil iodine. This is more than a
10-fold enrichment of the average regolith source material and almost a 70 fold increase over the
average crustal content.
WHY IODINE IS IN THE SOIL - THE HALOGENS
The reason that iodine ultimately concentrates in the soil is the result of its chemistry. Iodine is one of
the halogens, the most reactive group of elements in the periodic table. This group includes fluorine,
chlorine, bromine and iodine. The halogens are prominent anions in the environment, forming largely
ionic molecules. They are powerful oxidizers as neutral atom free radicals. The halogens form diatomic
molecules that are gases at normal temperatures and pressures and therefore are mobile and play
significant roles in the atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.
The halogens are the most organophilic elemental family, they react with hydrocarbons on contact. Their
reactivity makes them primary tools of organic chemistry. A routine, "Iodine Number," unsaturated fat
test must be protected from light to prevent the iodine from breaking saturated bonds. All of the
unsaturated bonds are replaced by iodine within minutes and the "Iodine Number" is calculated as the
grams of iodine absorbed divided by the grams of fat.
Iodine, as a halogen, needs an electron to complete its octet, but this is an electron deficient world. The
size, weight and electron density of iodine produces weak bonds. All of the halogens can and do
replace iodine from almost any molecule. Iodine is continually losing its shared electron and is forced
out as either the gasous/solid mobile diatomic molecule or the reactive free radical. Iodine ends up at
the interfaces, aqueous/sediment and gasous/solid, seeking an electron with little hope of long
maintaining it once it is acquired.
IODINE'S ELECTRON SOURCE IN THE SOIL - HYDROCARBONS
The chemical form of the iodine in the soil has been investigated by many iodine researchers, most
have found that soil iodine and organic matter are related. Vinogradov reported that soil iodine was
tightly held by organic compounds. Magomedova reported that 88% to 99% percent of soil iodine was
insoluble. Whitehead reported an increase in soluble iodine with depth and that iodine and organic
matter are closely correlated at the surface and this correlation decreased with depth, implying that the
iodine at the surface is bound to the organic matter and that these iodoorganics are broken down as
these compounds are buried yielding soluble ionic iodine. Both Sobornikova and Johnson found iodine
concentrations decreasing with depth. Price and Calvert studied iodine in submarine mud and
documented a dynamic system of organic iodine fixation at the sediment/aqueous interface, burial and
eventual oxidation to I2 which then migrated back to the interface. Ninety percent of the iodine fixed at
the interface is liberated after the first 10 meters of burial.
THE SOIL IODINE CYCLE
Soil iodine enrichments and light hydrocarbon seepage have been directly correlated. Hydrocarbon
related iodine enrichments sometimes exceed 10 times the local soil iodine background. All data
indicate a very dynamic surface reaction, iodoorganics in a multi-step equilibrium with the diatomic
iodine gas. This equilibrium is a complex process that begins with the replacement of organically bound
hydrogen by iodine. This reaction is initiated when light breaks the diatomic iodine molecule into free
radicals.
1/2 I2 + LIGHT ----> I + RCH2CH3 ----> RCHICH3 + 1/2H2
This addition immobilizes the volatile hydrocarbons which then accumulate in the soil. The
"precipitated" iodohydrocarbon now exposed to the chemistry and biology of the soil ultimately loses
the iodine by replacement and is oxidized back to elemental iodine, completing the cycle.
RCHICH3 + Cl ----> RCHClCH3+ 1/2 I2
This is a dynamic cycle that continues until the hydrocarbon source is terminated after which the iodine
will disperse looking for a new source of electrons.
Click here for more information on iodine.
.
.
GrayStone Exploration Labs, Inc
