Thermodynamic properties of mixtures of H2O and D2O in the critical region

Isotope effects in supercooled H2O and D2O and a corresponding-states-like rescaling of the temperature and pressure

Water shows anomalous properties that are enhanced upon supercooling. The unusual behavior is observed in both H2O and D2O, however, with different temperature dependences for the two isotopes. It is often noted that comparing the properties of the isotopes at two different temperatures (i.e., a temperature shift) approximately accounts for many of the observations-with a temperature shift of 7.2 K in the temperature of maximum density being the most well-known example. However, the physical justification for such a shift is unclear. Motivated by recent work demonstrating a "corresponding-states-like" rescaling for water properties in three classical water models that all exhibit a liquid-liquid transition and critical point [Uralcan et al., J. Chem. Phys. 150, 064503 (2019)], the applicability of this approach for reconciling the differences in the temperature- and pressure-dependent thermodynamic properties of H2O and D2O is investigated here. Utilizing previously published data and equations-of-state for H2O and D2O, we show that the available data and models for these isotopes are consistent with such a low temperature correspondence. These observations provide support for the hypothesis that a liquid-liquid critical point, which is predicted to occur at low temperatures and high pressures, is the origin of many of water's anomalies.

On the effect of heavy water (D2O) on carbon isotope fractionation in photosynthesis

Internal conductance to carbon dioxide is a key aspect of leaf photosynthesis although is still not well understood. It is thought that it comprises two components, namely, a gas phase component (diffusion from intercellular spaces to cell walls) and a liquid phase component (dissolution, diffusion in water, hydration equilibrium). Here we use heavy water (D₂O), which is known to slow down CO₂ hydration by a factor of nearly three. Using ¹²C/¹³C stable isotope techniques and Xanthium strumarium L. leaves, we show that the on-line carbon isotope discrimination (Δ¹³C, or Δ_obs) associated with photosynthesis is not significantly decreased by heavy water, and that the internal conductance, estimated with relationships involving the deviation of Δ¹³C, decreased by 8-40% in 21% O₂. It is concluded that in typical conditions, the CO₂-hydration equilibrium does not exert an effect on CO₂ assimilation larger than 9%. The carbon isotope discrimination associated with CO₂ addition to ribulose-1,5,bisphosphate by Rubisco is slightly decreased by heavy water. This effect is proposed to originate from the use of solvent-derived proton/deuteron during the last step of the catalytic cycle of the enzyme (hydration/cleavage).