Magnetic isotope effects: a potential testing ground for quantum biology

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of magnetic isotope effects as a testing ground for quantum biology, particularly in biological magnetoreception and related processes involving radical pairs and spin dynamics.

Contribution

It reviews existing studies on isotope effects in biology and proposes using magnetic isotope effects as a novel approach to investigate quantum biological mechanisms.

Findings

Radical pairs may influence biological processes like magnetoreception.

Isotope effects can provide insights into spin dynamics in biological systems.

Studying isotope effects could advance understanding of quantum phenomena in biology.

Abstract

One possible explanation for magnetosensing in biology, such as avian magnetoreception, is based on the spin dynamics of certain chemical reactions that involve radical pairs. Radical pairs have been suggested to also play a role in anesthesia, hyperactivity, neurogenesis, circadian clock rhythm, microtubule assembly, etc. It thus seems critical to probe the credibility of such models. One way to do so is through isotope effects with different nuclear spins. Here we briefly review the papers involving spin-related isotope effects in biology. We suggest studying isotope effects can be an interesting avenue for quantum biology.