High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Transient kinetic isotope effects (or fractionation) occur when the reaction leading to isotope fractionation does not follow pure first-order kinetics and therefore isotopic effects cannot be described with the classical equilibrium fractionation equations or with steady-state kinetic fractionation equations (also known as the Rayleigh equation). In these instances, the General Equations for Biochemical Isotope Kinetics (GEBIK) and the General Equations for Biochemical Isotope Fractionation (GEBIF) can be used.