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Posted by KevinMcCluney on 31 Dec 2010 at 23:22 GMT
I enjoyed reading your article, very interesting. Some of the data seem to support my research as well, just published in PLoS One:
http://www.plosone.org/ar...
Although I think it is great that you were able to show that water flux rates were a strong determinant of isotope ratios and higher fluxes corresponded to ratios with a closer match to the source water, I think perhaps the more interesting and difficult question is what factors drive the body water isotope ratios away from source values.
It seems that we both think that high drinking rates will partially swamp out the effects of isotope ratio alterations (enrichment). You seem to suggest that the enrichment is due to oxidation and exchange with biomolecules. You don't mention evaporative enrichment of body water as another possibility and I was wondering if there is a reason for this and your thoughts about the relative importance of evaporative enrichment versus other factors that might lead to enrichment? Thanks!