Analyzing rapidly, precisely and semi-automatically lead isotopes on variable volumes of seawater (up to 1000 ml)

Science Highlights

3 December 2013

Zurbrick and co-authors present a relatively fast (2.5–6.5 hours), semi-automated system to extract lead (Pb) from seawater, with few chemicals yielding low blanks. They also demonstrate that subsequent Pb isotopic analyses are more precise using a multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) than high resolution ICP-MS (HR ICP-MS).

With the preceding work of Conway and co-workers (Conway et al., 2013) demonstrating similar analytical performances for iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd), the ability of GEOTRACES community to determine key isotopes in seawater is clearly improving.

13 Zurbrick

Figure: A diagram representing the offline Pb extraction apparatus; sample Pb is loaded on a column, which is subsequently flushed with column wash to reduce salts followed by elution of Pb for analysis. Click here to view the figure larger.

 

References:

Zurbrick, C. M., Gallon, C., & Flegal, A. R. (2013). A new method for stable lead isotope extraction from seawater. Analytica Chimica Acta, 800, 29–35. DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2013.09.002. Click here to access the paper.

Conway, T. M., Rosenberg, A. D., Adkins, J. F., & John, S. G. (2013). A new method for precise determination of iron, zinc and cadmium stable isotope ratios in seawater by double-spike mass spectrometry. Analytica Chimica Acta, 793, 44–52. DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2013.07.025. Click here to access the paper.

Latest highlights

Continuous record of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current latitude over the last glacial-interglacial cycles

The meridional positions of the oceanic fronts separating subtropical and Antarctic waters are key to constraining the mechanisms that drive the degassing of deeply-stored CO2 at the end of the glacial periods…

23 Million Years of iron sources reconstructed in the Northwest Pacific Ocean using iron isotopes in a ferromanganese crust

Using iron isotopes and elemental records, Chu and co-workers analysed an iron-manganese crust recovered from the Hongyan Seamount, and reconstructed the sources of dissolved Fe to the Northwest Pacific Ocean…

Variability of the past deep-water masses in the Arabian Sea over the last 41ka

Shukla and colleagues propose a high-resolution authigenic ƐNd record measured from a sediment core located in the eastern Arabian Sea…

Arctic outflows to Davis Strait and the Labrador Sea traced by radionuclide distributions

This study demonstrates that Arctic outflows through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago play a much more significant role than previously recognised.

Rechercher