Exclusion Zone (EZ) Water

Exclusion Zone (EZ) water, also sometimes referred to as the "fourth phase of water," is a state of water hypothesized by Gerald Pollack and his colleagues. It is not a state described in traditional chemistry. It's characterized by specific structural and electromagnetic properties that differ from bulk water, and it forms adjacent to hydrophilic surfaces.

Properties

• Formation: EZ water forms adjacent to hydrophilic surfaces, including common materials like gels, polymers, and even some metals. The formation of EZ water is often, but not exclusively, promoted by radiant energy, particularly in the infrared range.

• Structure: The structure of EZ water differs from ordinary liquid water. It is proposed to consist of stacked sheets of hexagonal lattices, sometimes called honeycomb sheets, which exclude solutes. These sheets are formed by chains of water molecules. The structure of EZ water is similar to the structure of ice, but it is not ice because of a different hydrogen bonding regime.

• Charge: EZ water exhibits a net negative charge, while the adjacent bulk water exhibits a net positive charge due to a higher concentration of hydronium ions. This separation of charge creates an electrical potential difference.

• Exclusion of Solutes: EZ water excludes virtually all solutes, including ions, molecules, and even large colloidal particles. This exclusion property is how it gained the name "exclusion zone". This exclusion is not simply based on size, but also on charge.

• Increased Density: Studies of EZ water show that it has a higher refractive index which correlates with it being denser than bulk water.

• Viscosity: EZ water is more viscous than bulk water, indicating that water molecules in the EZ are less mobile.

• Optical Properties: EZ water shows a characteristic absorption peak around 270 nm in the UV range. It emits less infrared radiation than bulk water.

How is it different from Bulk Water?

In contrast to bulk water which has a disordered, constantly changing molecular arrangement, EZ water exhibits a more ordered, and in effect, crystalline-like structure. Bulk water also does not exhibit a separation of charge or exclusion of solutes to a significant degree. While it is composed of H20 molecules, it is also not ice, nor liquid, nor vapor, making it, by some interpretations, a fourth phase of water.

Formation Process

1. Nucleation: EZ water formation begins with a hydrophilic surface acting as a template. Water molecules are oriented by the hydrophilic material.

2. Energy Input: Radiant energy, especially infrared, is absorbed by the water. This energy acts to dissociate water molecules, facilitating their incorporation into the EZ lattice structure.

3. Charge Separation: As EZ water forms, protons (H+) are released into the adjacent bulk water, resulting in a separation of charge. The EZ zone becomes negatively charged, and the area beyond becomes positively charged.

4. Growth: EZ zones can extend a considerable distance from a nucleating surface, potentially thousands or millions of molecular layers.

5. Stabilization: Protons and hydronium ions at the edges of the growing EZ lattice prevent further growth and maintain the lattice's structure.

Significance and Implications

• Energy Storage and Conversion: The separated charges within and surrounding the EZ zone constitute an electrical potential difference, or a kind of “battery.” The energy contained by the separated charge is deliverable.

• Biological Systems: The ubiquitous presence of hydrophilic surfaces in biological systems suggests that EZ water may play a role in cellular processes. EZs, for example, are seen on surfaces of cells and inside of tissues, providing a mechanism for cellular charge separation, water movement and other processes.

• Material Properties: EZ water is a form of structured water that can help explain certain phenomena, such as the hydration of gels and the slipperiness of ice.

• Osmosis: EZ structures are thought to be necessary for osmosis as it is currently described. The semipermeable membrane is often cited as the source of the selectivity in osmosis, but there is research suggesting that the charge gradients, formed by EZs, drive the osmotic movement of water.

• Electrical Power Generation: Research suggests that electrical current can be generated by electrodes in and around the EZ.

Experimental Evidence

• Exclusion of microscopic particles and solutes from the region next to hydrophilic surfaces

• A strong absorption peak around 270 nm in the UV range

• Infrared radiation absorption and emission patterns that are different from bulk water

• Altered nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation times of water molecules in the EZ region

• Changes in viscosity and refractive index when compared to bulk water

• The presence of a potential difference between EZ water and bulk water

• The ability to generate electrical current from the EZ-bulk water interface

Current Status and Controversies

The concept of EZ water and its properties remains a topic of ongoing research and discussion. While the phenomena reported by Pollack's team and others have been widely replicated, some within the scientific community have raised concerns or have failed to observe the same results.

Key Points of the "Fourth Phase"

• Water is not only solid, liquid, and vapor, it has a stable liquid-crystalline “EZ” form.

• Water stores and releases energy via this “EZ” liquid-crystalline form.

• Light (electromagnetic radiation) is required for building that "EZ" form of water.

• Like-charged entities are able to attract one another when they are surrounded by a counter-charge, particularly if that counter-charge is related to that of the "EZ" water form.