Iodine in biology 65% of the molecular weight of T4 and 59% of T3. The thyroid gland actively absorbs iodine from the blood to produce and release these hormones into the blood, actions which are regulated by a second hormone, called thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which is produced by the pituitary gland. Thyroid hormones are phylogenetically very old molecules which are synthesized by most multicellular organisms, and which even have some effect on unicellular organisms. Thyroid hormones play a fundamental role in biology, acting upon gene transcription mechanisms to regulate the basal metabolic rate. T3 acts on small intestine cells and adipocytes to increase
Iodine east of Tokyo and the American Anadarko Basin gas field in northwest Oklahoma are the two largest such sources. The brine is hotter than 60 °C from the depth of the source. The brine is first purified and acidified using sulfuric acid, then the iodide present is oxidised to iodine with chlorine. An iodine solution is produced, but is dilute and must be concentrated. Air is blown into the solution to evaporate the iodine, which is passed into an absorbing tower where sulfur dioxide reduces the iodine. The hydrogen iodide (HI) is reacted with chlorine to precipitate the iodine. After