Living matter is composed primarily of CHNPOS elements (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, and sulphur).

These elements are combined into functional groups (hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, sulfhydryl and phosphates). All of these groups have covalent bonds which are less stable than simple bonds.

These bonds break down when the organism dies. The groups begin to decompose into the basic blocks from which they came. Remember: "LEO the lion (loss of electrons oxidation) says GER (gain of electrons reduction)".

The building blocks in your fish are reduced gaining electrons and releasing the stored energy from the covalent bonds. Nitrates become nitrites then nitrogen gas which floates the body as the nitrogen releases while still within the dead fish.

It is the story of the nitrogen cycle that we were all required to learn in school.

Good article, and did know the reason why.

We have a mountain lake, named Tekapo in New Zealand's South Island.

This lake is supplied by a glacier, which for miles from the lake is covered with glacial debris.

This moraine debris prevents the ice from melting quickly, and for many miles below that lake the glacier continues to move, the rocky debris etc holding down the ice, which would otherwise float to the surface.

Consequently, if a person drowns in that lake, the body often sinks to the bottom, and because decomposition gas is not generated in the frigid depths, the body does not float to the surface.

There may well be other water "bodies" (lakes or sea inlets), in similar situations.....

It does not help that our swim bladders are attached to our mouthes and leak any short term gas buildup. Of course breathing becomes difficult if it is not.

My home town is beside Wallowa Lake http://www.wallowalake.net/in N.E. Oregon. Part of the Glacier is still trapped in the bottom. Most bodies are never recovered. Some Sturgeon in the lake keep them from showing up later. (swim in the top 18 inches or turn blue) The water comes from glacier and snow melt. Bit of a turist trap now.

Brad

True.

These chemical reactions are temperature dependent and at very low temperatures the reactions cannot proceed sufficiently for the nitrification stage.

At 60 degrees F, a human body that experiences death by drowning will rise after about 8 days if the crabs and lobsters don't get to it. We have seen both case in Boston Harbor drownings over the past 25 years.

The biochemistry is similar for fish.

Thank you for your Post, eriew,

There is also another time-tested process for locating drowned bodies, used much earlier, and written about by the well-known US author, Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Please refer:

http://www.classic-literature.co.uk/mark-twain/the-adventures-of-huckleberry-finn/ebook-page-19.asp

"Mark Twain The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"

Page 19

Well, then I happened to think how they always put quicksilver in loaves of bread and float them off, because they always go right to the drownded carcass and stop there. So, says I, I'll keep a lookout, and if any of them's floating around after me I'll give them a show. I changed to the Illinois edge of the island to see what luck I could have, and I warn't disappointed. A big double loaf come along, and I most got it with a long stick, but my foot slipped and she floated out further. Of course I was where the current set in the closest to the shore -- I knowed enough for that. But by and by along comes another one, and this time I won. I took out the plug and shook out the little dab of quick- silver, and set my teeth in. It was "baker's bread" -- what the quality eat; none of your low-down corn-pone.

Also another delightful passage from the same Author:

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~rgs/sawyr-XIV.html

Trust that improves your education......

Best post of the year! Very nice indeed. Much more interesting than the pure chemistry. These references about the loaves didn't start with Samual Clemens. Indeed they go back to the "old" world.

The theory behind the concussion from a gun seemed to be that it is possible to rupture an internal organ and upon doing so releasing gases to cause float.

The loaves follow the strongest current as the body may have right to were it lies below. The quicksilver is attracted to the iron in the blood as a magnet might be.

Nicer yet just up the road a bit in Salem, MA, we have a very active witch community and hanging them is no longer encouraged or even condoned. I'm sure they could bake up some bread. But don't mention of this in nearby Gloucester, MA where over 3000 fishermen have perished; not all recovered. A not so "Perfect Storm".