Validity Examination of the Dissipative Quantum Model of Olfaction

TL;DR

This paper generalizes the dissipative quantum model of olfaction and provides numerical predictions on electron tunneling, sensitivity thresholds, isotopic effects, and chiral recognition to guide experimental validation.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized model and offers specific, testable predictions to experimentally assess the dissipative quantum theory of olfaction.

Findings

Predicted efficiency of elastic and inelastic electron tunneling.

Identified sensitivity thresholds related to temperature and pressure.

Forecasted isotopic effects and chiral recognition capabilities.

Abstract

The validity of the dissipative quantum model of olfaction has not been examined yet and therefore the model suffers from the lack of experimental support. Here, we generalize the model and propose a numerical analysis of the dissipative odorant-mediated inelastic electron tunneling mechanism of olfaction, to be used as a potential examination in experiments. Our analysis gives several predictions on the model such as efficiency of elastic and inelastic tunneling of electrons through odorants, sensitivity thresholds in terms of temperature and pressure, isotopic effect on sensitivity, and the chiral recognition for discrimination between the similar and different scents. Our predictions should yield new knowledge to design new experimental protocols for testing the validity of the model.