The New Interdisciplinary Quest for the Theory of Liquid Water

Kendra Krueger
March 4th 2011
Bioelectromagnetics Mid-Term Paper
Professor: Frank Barnes
University of Colorado at Boulder

Abstract
1

The function and behavior of biomolecules or ions cannot be studied as lone acting
particles, but must be combined with the water structures that naturally form around them.
These water clouds are formed by water molecules coordinating to hydrophilic surfaces of
macromolecules, or charged ions. These water structures can grow to several hundred microns
in size. The properties of these water structures and their electromagnetic behaviors are just
beginning to emerge in scientific literature. This paper will review recent theories and
observations pertaining to the electromagnetic behavior of biologically associated water
structures.

The Dynamics of Water

Water has come to be seen as a much more mysterious substance than previously
thought. The major constituent of all organisms, it holds many undiscovered secrets unto the
mechanisms of living function. One feature of water which allows it to integrate into living
systems is its ability to bind with biological molecules and ions. This is a product of its dipole
nature, an unequal charge distribution which attracts anions (negative ions) to the hydrogen
atoms and cations (positive ions) to the oxygen atoms. The same goes for larger macromolecules
such as proteins which have partially hydrophilic surfaces and attract charges (1). This attraction
allows for layers of water molecules to form shells around molecular solutes which have been
observed to be up to several hundreds of microns thick (2). At this larger scale, the ion, protein
or molecular solute is then seen as an aqueous microstructure which will interact with the
unbound water surrounding it.
These water layers have been termed the Exclusion Zone (EZ), which refers to the
regions which do not contain solutes and consist of bound water molecules (2). The EZ water
has a number of properties which differ from unbound water such as higher viscosity, fluorescent
1

responses at 2700

, and electron-donor properties. These donor properties lead to a high

concentration of quasi-free electrons at high molecular concentrations.

The electromagnetic behavior of bound water structures was originally believed to be
primarily electrostatic; however in the past decade quantum electrodynamics has suggested a
different mechanism (3). At high densities, the water molecules have a certain probability and
lifetime of bonding with each other in H-bonds. This phenomenon creates a flexible gel-like
phase where the molecules form a coherent organization or structure. A number of observed
phenomena support this theory such as sonoluminescence; the emission of light from water that
is stimulated by sound waves, and the large dielectric constant of water which suggest
collections of molecules are responding to external fields. This framework has lead to the
development of a quantum electrodynamic (QED) model in which the electrons in each molecule
are excited from their initial ground state into a coupled coherent ground state, thus inducing
strong intermolecular coherence domains (CD).
These CD exhibit a number of different properties, most significantly an ability to trap
and grow internal electric fields. The theory (4) suggests that a critical density is reached when
the space enclosed by the molecules is on the order of the resonant wavelength, or the quantum
volume (Eq 1).

Here the resonant wavelength

corresponds to the energy spacing between the ground and

excited state of the CD which is 12eV for liquid water. When this occurs, the probability of an
absorbed photon being re-emitted becomes so low that an electromagnetic (EM) field builds up
within the structure and becomes trapped. These coherent states then tend to resonant between
the ground and excited state which curiously lies just below the ionization level. When these
1

fields become trapped, the impurity molecules that may lie within are not in resonance and are
therefore ejected from the water structure. This has been observed in the case of atmospheric
gases that may be present within water solutions; the gas particles are forced out of the CD
network and microbubbles are released. All of these concepts have lead some scientists to
believe that the basis for biological interactions and living matter with EM fields may be entirely
due to the coherent structure of water molecules.

The Dilution Solution

Studies on dilutions of biochemical solutions have recently come under a significant
amount of public scrutiny due to their possible connections with homeopathic medicine.
However the theories that have developed consequently have a lot of connections to the science
and behavior of water. Jacques Benveniste was the first to make claims of highly diluted
solutions which had the same effects as non diluted solutions of antibodies. This publication in
Nature quickly caused uproar within the scientific community, and no further research was
published in major journals. Benveniste did however patent a device which allowed for the
measurement of electromagnetic signals produced by the diluted solutions (5). This later
allowed for connections to be made with diluted bio associated water (bio-water) and coherence
domains.

A (Repeatable) Signal
Jean-Luc Montagnier has now followed in Benvenistes footsteps and is now actively
pursuing studies of bio-water phenomena. Montagnier at first discovered this phenomenon
completely by accident. His studies were previously involved with filtrating solutions containing
pathogenic microorganisms. During the course of his work, the microorganisms seemed to
1

reappear and were able to infect human cells after numerous filtrations and dilutions, just as in
Benvenistes studies. Further investigation into what may have been the cause led Montagnier to
Benvenistes work and methods.
Montagniers group then repeated their original studies and used Benvenistes
electromagnetic measuring system to analyze their samples. The experiments (6) tested
solutions of Mycoplasma pirum and E. coli. M. pirum organisms have a size of 300nm and E.
coli that of 500nm. The solutions were filtered with filters of either 100nm or 20nm porosity.
These filtrates produced apparently sterile fluid after filtration which was verified with
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and nested PCR. However, the solutions were able to infect
human lymphocytes after 2-3 weeks of incubation. The filtrates were then divided and subjected
to graded dilutions. The dilutions ranged from 10-1 to 10-13.
The electromagnetic signals were then measured by placing the samples within an
induction coil connected to an amplifier and a computer. A control sample of pure water was
placed inside the coil and a noise level was recorded. When the system was placed in a mumetal box, this noise was reduced. Interestingly, when the samples were also measured in this
box the signals were not detectable, suggesting the ambient electromagnetic field may be
responsible for excitation.

Figure 1: Noise and Signal example from Montagnier et al 2009

M. Pirum samples showed signals in dilutions of 10-7 to 10-12 for both groups of filtrates.
E. coli however, showed signals in dilutions of 10-8 to 10-12, but only for the 100 nm filtrate
group. It was speculated that the E. coli induced structures were larger than 20nm, but smaller
than 100nm.

But where do the coherence domains of water come into this? As the samples are diluted
further and further, the concentration of microorganism becomes infinitesimally small. A more
in depth study was completed by Montagniers group (7). After filtration and testing, samples
were subjected to Dnase, protease, and detergents which in combination break up the cell and
then the DNA inside. These treated samples were still able to produce signals, even after the
biological material originally dissolved in the solution had been destroyed. So what is the cause
of these signals? Montagnier theorizes that coherent domains are at the root of signal production
(7). The biomolecules play two roles, either as an aggregate which collects water molecules, or a
guest molecule which is attracted to an already formed and oscillating CD. In either case, the
molecular density has reached the critical point to form a CD, and thus so begins to trap an EM
field within its bounds. This field is thought to be induced by ambient EM fluctuations, either
that of the human nervous system within a body, or the fields produced by the Earths
environment, otherwise known as Shuman resonant modes. The observed signals can be
produced as the guest ions begin to orbit at a frequency similar to their cyclotron resonance, this
in turn produces oscillations of the quasi-free electrons in the CD. This resonance is thought to
be the cause of the observed EM signals.

Discussion
Material science has now entered the picture to critically analyze the structure of water
and its properties. These scientists have argued that the chemists picture of structure is centered
on the micro molecular properties, where as the materialist sees the macro organization of these
molecules on a bulk scale. Significant uncertainty exists on the structure of not just water, but all
liquids in general due to the lack of imaging and characterization tools to assess these structures
that may be constantly rearranging and forming. The model currently being developed by
1

material scientists is that of different phases which exist harmoniously at constant temperature
and pressure (8). Furthermore, the work completed by Benveniste and Montagnier suggest the
properties of biomolecules are somehow transferred to the water. An analogous concept in
material science is that of epitaxy of crystal structures. In epitaxial growth a seed crystal is used
to form a new crystal with the same structural information. This provides a concept for how
water structures may form their arrangements from information about original seed
biomolecule. What a lot of these arguments come down to is the irrelevance of seed
concentration. That a solution with low concentration of seed molecules can in theory be just as
reactive as one with a higher concentration. This would be due to the fact that water molecules
are in effect becoming clones of the seed molecule and multiplying to form coherence domains.
There continues to be a gap of understanding between the material science, biochemistry,
and electrodynamics aspects of these phenomena. However, interdisciplinary endeavors are
attempting to bridge it. Quantum electrodynamics has developed the theory of coherence
domains based on high densities of dipole interactions, interacting with vacuum fluctuations (3).
Biochemistry has always known the importance of water, and is now discovering new anomalies
which require greater investigation. Material science has now offered to convey its perspectives
on water structure and information transfer. The combination these spheres of knowledge have
produced a new interdisciplinary field of investigation, and in result have the potential to
revolutionize our view of waters role in living systems.

Works Cited
1. Tigerk, Seyitriza and Barnes, Frank. Water structures and effects of electric and magnetic fields. s.l. :
Non-Thermal Effects and Mechanisms of Interaction Between Electromagnetic Fields and Living Matter,
2010.
2. Surfaces and interfacial water: evidence that hydrophilic surfaces have long-range impact. Zheng, J,
1

Chin, Wei-Chun and Khijniak, E. 2006, Science, pp. 19-27.

3. QED Coherence and the Thermodynamics of Water. Arani, Raffaella, et al. 1813-41, s.l. : Int J Mod
Physics, 1995, Vol. 9.
4. Coherence in water and the kT problem in living matter. Guidice Del, Emilio and Giuliani, Livio. s.l. :
nonthermal effects.
5. Benveniste, J and Guillonnet, D. Method, system and device for producing signals from a substance
biological and/or chemical activity. N 6541, 978 B1 US, 2003. US Patent .
6. Electromagnetic Signals Are Produced by Aqueous Nanostructures Derived from Bacterial DNA
Sequences. Montagnier, L, Aissa, J and Ferris, Stephane. 81-90, s.l. : Interdiscip Sci Comput Life Sci,
2009, Vol. 1.
7. DNA waves and water. Montagnier, L, et al. s.l. : DICE 2010 Conference Proceedings, 2010.
8. Roy, Rustum, et al. The structure of liquid water; Novel insights from materials research; potential
relevance to homeopathy. s.l. : Materials Research Innovations Online, 2005.