Re: Real Iodine, by MH

Would be readily determinable / verifiable if it were true. Destructive distillation including fractionation and titrating the distillate would be one way. Digestion in 98% sufuric as in a kjeldahl distillation would also liberate hydriodic acid which would distill out. Any appreciable Iodine would stain the cellulose purple and wood would be purple in color if even ppm levels were present. One might argue it is in the roots / nuts / leaves, etc. But, until a tree is identified, whose parts contain it, I think it's bunk.

The soils are well-known to be depleted of iodine.

So the alternative is elemental transmutation, that the alleged magical tree produces Iodine from air, water, or something.

People have been burning plant matter since the beginning of man; yet it wasn't until kelp was incinerated that Iodine was discovered, 1811 I believe.

And it would be documented if burned plant / tree matter contained iodine in appreciable amounts, since it would form hydriodic acid, which is a strong acid, corrosive.

The burden of proof resides with those alleging its presence.

If one finds a tree that contains more iodine than the soil and surroundings could supply, they ought to write it up and report it to the appropriate authorities for publication, as it would be a significant discovery and they would make a little place in history for themselves, and do mankind a great service by identifying a true alternate source of iodine. If it were true.

I could to the titration work in my lab, it's simple.