Diffusional and microbial isotope fractionation of methane during gas push-pull tests

A field method called gas push-pull test (GPPT) was previously developed for in-situ quantification of methane (CH₄) oxidation by soil microorganisms. We examined whether natural-abundance stable carbon-isotope analysis of CH₄, a common approach used to measure in-situ bioconversions, could be used as a quantitative tool to complement the GPPT method. During GPPTs strong isotope fractionation of CH₄ due to molecular diffusion can occur. This effect was observed in laboratory experiments regardless of the GPPTs’ advective component (i.e., for different injection/extraction rates). Numerical simulations showed that if a GPPT is applied in soils with low microbial CH₄ oxidation activities, isotope fractionation may be dominated by molecular diffusion rather than by consumption. Because diffusional and microbial isotope fractionation of CH₄ occur simultaneously during a GPPT, CH₄ isotope data alone from a single GPPT cannot be used to assess the bioconversion process. However, microbial fractionation may be estimated if the extent of diffusional fractionation is known. This can be achieved either by conducting two sequential GPPTs, with microbial activity being inhibited in the second test, or by estimating physical transport processes via co-injected tracers’ gas analysis. We present a case study, in which we re-analyzed GPPTs previously performed in the unsaturated zone above a petroleum-contaminated aquifer. At this field site the combination of sequential GPPTs, stable carbon-isotope analysis of CH₄, and a modeling approach, which considers diffusion and microbial CH₄ oxidation, was a powerful tool to estimate in situ both apparent Michaelis-Menten kinetic constants and the microbial kinetic isotope effect.     

Hydrogen and carbon isotope fractionation during experimental production of bacterial methane

This paper presents C and H isotope compositions of compounds involved in methane production by pure cultures of Methanobacterium formicicum. The C isotope compositions of the methane produced and of the residual CO₂ are compared to data observed in natural conditions in marine sediments. This comparison leads to further evidence that CO₂ reduction is an important mechanism for microbial generation of methane in deep marine sediments. The H isotope compositions show involvment of the water hydrogen into methane as well as hydrogen exchange between water and molecular hydrogen in the course of CO₂ reduction. A mechanism is proposed as a possible explanation for the data obtained involving conjugated reactions of CO₂-reduction and enzymatic reduction of water.     

Experimental and theoretical study of pressure effects on hydrogen isotope fractionation in the system brucite-water at elevated temperatures

A detailed, systematic experimental and theoretical study was conducted to investigate the effect of pressure on equilibrium D/H fractionation between brucite (Mg(OH)₂) and water at temperatures from 200 to 600°C and pressures up to 800 MPa. A fine-grained brucite was isotopically exchanged with excess amounts of water, and equilibrium D/H fractionation factors were calculated by means of the partial isotope exchange method. Our experiments unambiguously demonstrated that the D/H fractionation factor between brucite and water increased by 4.4 to 12.4‰ with increasing pressure to 300 or 800 MPa at all the temperatures investigated. The observed increases are linear with the density of water under experimental conditions. We calculated the pressure effects on the reduced partition function ratios (β-factor) of brucite (300-800 K and P ≤ 800 MPa) and water (400-600°C and P ≤ 100 MPa), employing a statistical-mechanical method similar to that developed by Kieffer (1982) and a simple thermodynamic method based on the molar volumes of normal and heavy waters, respectively. Our theoretical calculations showed that the reduced partition function ratio of brucite increases linearly with pressure at a given temperature (as much as 12.6‰ at 300 K and 800 MPa). The magnitude of the pressure effects rapidly decreases with increasing temperature. On the other hand, the β-factor of water decreases 4 to 5‰ with increasing pressure to 100 MPa at 400 to 600°C. Overall D/H isotope pressure effects combined from the separate calculations on brucite and water are in excellent agreement with the experimental results under the same temperature-pressure range. Our calculations also suggest that under the current experimental conditions, the magnitude of the isotope pressure effects is much larger on water than brucite. Thus, the observed pressure effects on D/H fractionation are common to other systems involving water. It is very likely that under some geologic conditions, pressure is an important variable in controlling D/H partitioning.     

Different types of methane monooxygenases produce similar carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation patterns during methane oxidation

We determined the stable carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation factors for methane oxidation under oxic conditions using strains with known degradation pathways. The aerobic oxidation of methane can be initiated by two different forms of enzymes known as methane monooxygenases (MMO). The expression of these enzymes is type-specific and dependent upon the adjusted copper concentration in the medium (or environment). In this study, the expression of either the soluble MMO or the particulate MMO was supported by adjusting the copper concentrations in the growth medium. Taxonomically different aerobic methanotrophic strains, mainly belonging to the alpha- and gamma- classes of Proteobacteria, produced methane isotope enrichment factors (ε_bulk) ranging from −14.8 to −27.9‰ for carbon, and from −110.0 to −231.5‰ for hydrogen. The ratio of hydrogen versus carbon discrimination (Λ = (α_H⁻¹ − 1)/(α_C⁻¹ − 1) ≈ Δ(δ²H)/Δ(δ¹³C)) were similar for all tested cultures, and are also identical to values calculated from previously published enrichment factors for aerobic and anaerobic methane degradation. In contrast, Λ-values for the abiotic oxidation of methane with OH radicals (this process is considered as the main removal process for methane from the atmosphere) were significantly higher than the values derived from biotic oxidation. Due to the low variability of microbial methane isotope fractionation patterns, we propose that combined carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation analyses can be used to monitor and assess the occurrence of microbial methane oxidation in marine or terrestrial environments. However, it is not possible to distinguish distinct aerobic or anaerobic methane-oxidation pathways by this approach.     

Experimental investigation of the effects of temperature and ionic strength on Mo isotope fractionation during adsorption to manganese oxides

The Mo stable isotope system is being applied to study changes in ocean redox. Such applications implicitly assume that Mo isotope fractionation in aqueous systems is relatively insensitive to frequently changing environmental variables such as temperature (T) and ionic strength (I). A major driver of fractionation is the adsorption of Mo to Mn oxyhydroxide surfaces [Barling J. and Anbar A. D. (2004) Molybdenum isotope fractionation during adsorption by manganese oxides. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.217(3-4), 315-329]. Here, we report the results of experiments that determine the extent to which Mo isotope fractionation during adsorption of Mo to the Mn oxyhydroxide mineral birnessite is sensitive to T and I. The results are compared to new predictions from quantum chemical computations. We measured fractionation from 1 to 50 °C at I = 0.1 m and found that Δ^97/95Mo_{dissolved-adsorbed} varies from 1.9‰ to 1.6‰ over this temperature range. Experiments were also performed at 25 °C in synthetic seawater (I = 0.7); fractionation at this condition was the same within analytical error as in low ionic strength experiments. These findings confirm that the Mo isotope fractionation during adsorption to Mn oxyhydroxides is relatively insensitive to variations and T and I over environmentally relevant ranges. To relate these findings to potential mechanisms of Mo isotope fractionation, we also report results for density functional theory computations of the fractionation between and various possible structures of molybdic acid as a function of temperature. Because no plausible species fractionates from with a magnitude matching the experiments, we are left with three possibilities to explain the fractionation: (1) solvation effects on the vibrational frequencies of aqueous species considered thus far are significant, such that our calculations in vacuo yield inaccurate fractionations; (2) a trace aqueous species not yet considered fractionates from and then adsorbs to birnessite; or (3) a surface complex not present in solution forms on birnessite in which Mo is not tetrahedrally coordinated. Our findings help validate assumptions underlying paleoceanographic applications of the Mo isotope system and also lead us closer to understanding the mechanism of isotope fractionation during adsorption of Mo to Mn oxyhydroxides.     

Experimental determination of the role of diffusion on Li isotope fractionation during basaltic glass weathering

In order to use lithium isotopes as tracers of silicate weathering, it is of primary importance to determine the processes responsible for Li isotope fractionation and to constrain the isotope fractionation factors caused by each process as a function of environmental parameters (e.g. temperature, pH). The aim of this study is to assess Li isotope fractionation during the dissolution of basalt and particularly during leaching of Li into solution by diffusion or ion exchange. To this end, we performed dissolution experiments on a Li-enriched synthetic basaltic glass at low ratios of mineral surface area/volume of solution (S/V), over short timescales, at various temperatures (50 and 90 °C) and pH (3, 7, and 10). Analyses of the Li isotope composition of the resulting solutions show that the leachates are enriched in ⁶Li (δ⁷Li = +4.9 to +10.5‰) compared to the fresh basaltic glass (δ⁷Li = +10.3 ± 0.4‰). The δ⁷Li value of the leachate is lower during the early stages of the leaching process, increasing to values close to the fresh basaltic glass as leaching progresses. These low δ⁷Li values can be explained in terms of diffusion-driven isotope fractionation. In order to quantify the fractionation caused by diffusion, we have developed a model that couples Li diffusion with dissolution of the glassy silicate network. This model calculates the ratio of the diffusion coefficients of both isotopes (a = D₇/D₆), as well as its dependence on temperature, pH, and S/V. a is mainly dependent on temperature, which can be explained by a small difference in activation energy (0.10 ± 0.02 kJ/mol) between ⁶Li⁺ and ⁷Li⁺. This temperature dependence reveals that Li isotope fractionation during diffusion is low at low temperatures (T < 20 °C), but can be significant at high temperatures. However, concerning hydrothermal fluids (T > 120 °C), the dissolution rate of basaltic glass is also high and masks the effects of diffusion. These results indicate that the high δ⁷Li values of river waters, in particular in basaltic catchments, and the fractionated values of hydrothermal fluids are mainly controlled by precipitation of secondary phases.     

海相干酪根与原油裂解气甲烷生成及碳同位素分馏的差异研究

利用封闭金管高压釜体系对海相原油和成熟干酪根进行了热解生气实验,获取了两类裂解气的组分和甲烷碳同位素数据,对比研究了两类母质在生气机理上的差异,并借助碳同位素分馏动力学参数讨论了甲烷碳同位素分馏的异同点.结果表明,原油裂解气富含C2-5重烃,其后期裂解是甲烷的重要来源;而干酪根裂解气中C2-5的含量较低,其后期裂解对干酪根甲烷气的贡献较小.这是两类甲烷气体生成的最大差异之一.两类裂解气甲烷碳同位素都有随着热解温度增高,碳同位素值先变轻再变重的特点,但原油裂解气甲烷碳同位素的最小值对应的温度较高;在相同热解温度下,干酪根裂解气甲烷碳同位素值要重于原油裂解气甲烷碳同位素值,这与后者前系物经过多次碳同位素分馏有关.因此,生气机理的差异是造成同位素分馏差异的根本原因,两类甲烷气体碳同位素分馏动力学参数的差异也是有成因意义的.     

沁水煤层气田高阶煤解吸气碳同位素分馏特征及其意义

沁水盆地是我国煤层气勘探开发的重要有利区,沁水煤层气田位于盆地东南部。对采自沁水煤层气田两口井的煤开展了罐解吸实验。结果表明,该地区煤层气解吸速率很快,96 h后解吸气量都达到了总解吸气量的60%~85%,720 h后解吸过程基本结束;解吸气量大,平均在18 m3/t以上。煤层气解吸过程中甲烷发生碳同位素分馏,δ13C1值变化与解吸率呈良好的线性关系,参考这种正相关关系曲线,定期监视煤层气降压排采过程中甲烷δ13C1值的变化情况,可以大致推测出该地区煤层气解吸率,从而预测煤层气的采出程度。跟踪测试沁水煤层气田A1和A1-3井在试采过程的甲烷δ13C1变化情况,推测现在采出的煤层气可能主要是煤层裂隙中以游离形式存在的煤层气,表明该区煤层气稳产性较好,资源前景广阔。     

Oxygen isotope fractionation during synthesis of CaMg-carbonate and implications for sedimentary dolomite formation

Hydrous CaMg-carbonate was synthesized at temperatures of 40°, 60° and 80°C in the laboratory. This material has very similar mineralogical characteristics to natural disordered dolomite from the Coorong region in South Australia. Besides the dolomite variable amounts of amorphous carbonate are present in all samples. The oxygen isotope compositions of synthesized bulk carbonate samples (e.g., amorphous carbonate plus dolomite) plot significantly lower than the Northrop and Clayton (1966) dolomite-water equilibrium. Fractionated degassing of the samples, however, revealed relatively low oxygen isotope values for fast-reacting (using 100% H₃PO₄) amorphous carbonate. In contrast, slow-reacting dolomite has more positive oxygen isotope values, and calculated carbonate-water oxygen isotope fractionation values are close to strongest known dolomite-water oxygen isotope fractionation published earlier on. Variations of reaction/stabilization temperatures during synthesis gave evidence for dolomite formation from hypersaline solutions by a dissolution/reprecipitation process. It is likely that amorphous carbonate has been a problem in defining the dolomite-water fractionation in the past. Moreover, dolomite-associated amorphous carbonate contents probably led to incorrect speculations about lower oxygen isotope fractionation in a so-called protodolomite-water system.     

Sulfur isotope fractionation during growth of sulfate-reducing bacteria on various carbon sources

Stable sulfur isotope fractionation during microbial sulfate reduction is a potential tool to estimate sulfate reduction rates at field sites. However, little is known about the influence of the utilized carbon source on the magnitude of sulfur isotope fractionation. To investigate this effect, both a pure culture (strain PRTOL1) and enrichment cultures from a petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC)-contaminated aquifer were used and grown in batch cultures on various carbon sources with an initial sulfate concentration of 1 mmol/L. As sole carbon sources the PHC components naphthalene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, and heating oil (enrichment culture) and the organic acids acetate, pyruvate, benzoate, and 3-phenylpropionate (enrichment culture and PRTOL1) were used. Sulfate reduction rates of all cultures ranged from 6 ± 1 nmol cm⁻³ d⁻¹ (enrichment culture grown on 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) to 280 ± 6 nmol cm⁻³ d⁻¹ (enrichment culture grown on pyruvate). Cell-specific sulfate reduction rates ranged from 1.1 × 10⁻¹⁴ mol cell⁻¹ d⁻¹ (PRTOL1 grown on pyruvate) to 1.5 × 10⁻¹³ mol cell⁻¹ d⁻¹ (PRTOL1 grown on acetate). Sulfur isotope enrichment factors (ε) for the enrichment culture ranged from 16.1‰ (3-phenylpropionate) to 34.5‰ (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) and for PRTOL1 from 30.0‰ (benzoate) to 36.0‰ (pyruvate). Cultures of PRTOL1 always showed higher ε values than the enrichment culture when grown on the same carbon source due to culture-specific properties. Higher ε values were obtained when the enrichment culture was grown on PHC components than on organic acids. No relationship between ε values and cell-specific sulfate reduction rate existed when all data were combined. When comparing the magnitude of ε values determined in this laboratory study with ε values measured at contaminated and uncontaminated field sites, it becomes evident that a multitude of factors influences ε values at field sites and complicates their interpretation. The results of this study help us assess some of the general parameters that govern the magnitude of ε in sulfate-reducing environments.     

Effect of temperature and mass transport on transition metal isotope fractionation during electroplating

Transition metal stable isotope signatures can be useful for tracing both natural and anthropogenic signals in the environment, but only if the mechanisms responsible for fractionation are understood. To investigate isotope fractionations due to electrochemistry (or redox processes), we examine the stable isotope behavior of iron and zinc during the reduction reaction  + 2e⁻ = M_metal as a function of electrochemical driving force, temperature, and time. In all cases light isotopes are preferentially electroplated, following a mass-dependent law. Generally, the extent of fractionation is larger for higher temperatures and lower driving forces, and is roughly insensitive to amount of charge delivered. The maximum fractionations are δ^56/54Fe = −4.0‰ and δ^66/64Zn = −5.5‰, larger than observed fractionations in the natural environment and larger than those predicted due to changes in speciation. All the observed fractionation trends are interpreted in terms of three distinct processes that occur during an electrochemical reaction: mass transport to the electrode, chemical speciation changes adjacent to the electrode, and electron transfer at the electrode. We show that a large isotope effect adjacent the electrode surface arises from the charge-transfer kinetics, but this effect is attenuated in cases where diffusion of ions to the electrode surface becomes the rate-limiting step. Thus while a general increase in fractionation is observed with increasing temperature, this appears to be a result of thermally enhanced mass transport to the reacting interface rather than an isotope effect associated with the charge-transfer kinetics. This study demonstrates that laboratory experiments can successfully distinguish isotopic signatures arising from mass transport, chemical speciation, and electron transfer. Understanding how these processes fractionate metal isotopes under laboratory conditions is the first step towards discovering what role these processes play in fractionating metal isotopes in natural systems.     

Carbon isotope fractionation during low temperature carbonization of foxtail and common millets

Stable carbon isotopes of organic matter and fossilized plant remains can be used to effectively reconstruct local palaeoclimate changes, especially from plants using a single photosynthetic mode. The charred grains of foxtail and common millet are chemically stable in the environment and have been preserved widely and continuously throughout the Holocene in North China. The charred remains of these species are ideal materials for reconstructing the palaeoclimate based on δ¹³C of foxtail and common millets heated to temperatures up to around 250 °C. This study reports δ¹³C values of modern millets carbonized at different temperatures. The results indicate that there are no significant changes in δ¹³C of intact and charred samples of foxtail millet (?0.46‰) and common millet (?0.49‰) for temperatures below 300 °C. The δ¹³C of charred foxtail millet formed at 250 °C were 0.2‰ higher in δ¹³C than the source samples. In contrast, the δ¹³C of charred common millet formed at 250 °C were 0.2‰ lighter in δ¹³C than the source samples. The δ¹³C values of grains were determined in part by the carbon content (i.e., starches, lignins and lipids) and the variable thermal tolerances of these compounds to heating. However, the observed ¹³C carbonization associated with fractionation of only 0.2‰ in grains is much less than the natural variation typically found in wood. We therefore suggest that δ¹³C measured in carbonized grains can serve as an effective indicator for paleoenvironmental and archaeological reconstructions.     

Experimental determination of carbon isotope fractionation between CaCO3 and graphite

Carbon isotopic exchange between graphite and three polymorphs of CaCO₃ was investigated at temperatures of 600-1400 °C and at pressures from 1.4 to 2.3 GPa. Fractionation factors at all temperatures were determined by the partial exchange treatment of Northrop and Clayton (1966).Graphite starting material for the majority of the experiments was milled in water for 20-25 h, producing aggregates of nanosheets. The sheets range in width from 50 to 1000 nm and in thickness from 20 to 30 nm, and they retain hexagonal symmetry.Isotopic exchange appears to be the sum of surface exchange and interior exchange. At 1100-1400 °C, interior exchange exceeded surface exchange, probably by a combination of grain growth, as determined by increase in crystallite size, recrystallization, as observed in FESEM images, and diffusion. In some runs at 1200 and 1400 °C with an isotopic contrast between the initial graphite and calcite of close to 50‰, equilibrium fractionation was actually overstepped due to a kinetic effect. A weighted regression of fractionation factors from the high-temperature runs yields the line of equilibrium interior exchange:

     

Modeling sulfur isotope fractionation and differential diffusion during sulfate reduction in sediments of the Cariaco Basin

Sulfur isotope composition (δ³⁴S) profiles in sediment pore waters often show an offset between sulfate and sulfide much greater in magnitude than S isotope fractionations observed in pure cultures. A number of workers have invoked an additional reaction, microbial disproportionation of sulfur intermediates, to explain the offset between experimental and natural systems. Here, we present an alternative explanation based on modeling of pore water sulfate and sulfide concentrations and stable isotope data from the Cariaco Basin (ODP Leg 165, Site 1002B). The use of unique diffusion coefficients for and , based on their unequal molecular masses, resulted in an increase in the computed fractionation by almost 10‰, when compared to the common assumption of equal diffusion coefficients for the two species. These small differences in diffusion coefficients yield calculated isotopic offsets between coeval sediment pore water sulfate and sulfide without disproportionation (up to 53.4‰) that exceed the largest fractionations observed in experimental cultures. Furthermore, the diffusion of sulfide within sediment pore waters leads to values that are even greater than those predicted by our model for sulfate reduction with unique diffusion coefficients. These diffusive effects on the sulfur isotope composition of pore water sulfate and sulfide can impact our interpretations of geologic records of sulfate and sulfide minerals, and should be considered in future studies.     

相控和气洗分馏作用对油气组分及碳同位素组成的影响

油藏条件下的相控和气洗分馏作用使得油藏中油气的物理性质和化学组成发生了明显变化。通过不同温压条件下的ＰＶＴ实验及其产物测量为该观点提供了十分有意义的科学证据,其主要结论结下：（１）总的来看,气洗分馏作用较由温度和压力引起的相控分馏作用明显,气洗作用是油藏中原油性质（如：含蜡量、密度和粘度等）发生重大变化的最主要因素;（２）ＰＶＴ分馏不仅导致凝析油中饱／芳比值的异常高值,而且饱／芳比值在凝析油和正常     

不同温度条件下气体压力升降过程中瓦斯运移规律的试验研究

利用自主研发的含瓦斯煤热-流-固耦合三轴伺服渗流装置,对不同温度条件下型煤试件在气体压力升降过程的渗流特性进行了试验研究,以模拟随采深增加引起的地温升高条件下煤的渗透特性。同时,为探讨低渗储层的滑脱效应进行了相同条件下氦气的平行试验。研究结果表明：（1）升压阶段,轴向应变增大,径向应变减小,近似呈线性变化;降压阶段,随气体压力降低,应变呈现出与升压阶段相同的变化趋势。随温度升高,应变随气体压力变化的斜率增大。（2）升压阶段,随气体压力升高,渗透率呈二次抛物线型变化,约在气体压力为3.0 MPa左右到达最小;降压阶段,随气体压力减小,渗透率先略有减小后增大,升压阶段渗透率大于降压阶段渗透率。（3）升压阶段滑脱效应引起的渗透率变化量大于降压阶段的变化量,且滑脱效应所引起的渗透率变化量随气体压力增加呈幂指数函数降低。     

Molecular dynamics simulations of kinetic isotope fractionation during the diffusion of ionic species in liquid water

Interpretation of isotope ratios, a powerful tool in geochemical investigations of fluid-rock systems, requires an understanding of all relevant processes that fractionate isotopes. One such process, diffusion in liquid water, has remained problematic despite its potential significance as a major cause of kinetic isotope fractionation. Recent laboratory experiments published by [Richter, F. M., Mendybaev, R. A., Christensen, J. N., Hutcheon, I. D., Williams, R. W., Sturchio, N. C., and Beloso Jr., A. D. (2006) Kinetic isotopic fractionation during diffusion of ionic species in water. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta70, 277-289.] have shown clearly for the first time that lithium and chloride isotopes are fractionated by diffusion in liquid water, whereas magnesium isotopes are not. In the present paper, we present the results of molecular dynamics simulations of lithium, chloride, and magnesium diffusion in liquid water that were designed to provide molecular-scale insight into the experimental findings of Richter et al. (2006). Our results indicate that the self-diffusion coefficients of lithium, chloride, and magnesium isotopes follow an inverse power-law dependence on ion mass (, where D_i is the self-diffusion coefficient of a solute with isotopic mass m_i). The power-law exponents (β) deduced for lithium, chloride, and magnesium from the diffusivity data of Richter et al. (2006) are consistent with the mass dependencies found in our simulations. Further analysis of our simulation results showed that the experimental β-values are inversely related to the residence times of water molecules in the first solvation shells of the diffusing ions, as expected from mode-coupling and renormalized kinetic theories.     

西山区块煤储层含气性及甲烷碳同位素分布特征

煤层含气性是决定煤层气勘探开发的重要参数,煤层气甲烷碳同位素能有效反映煤层气的赋存条件。根据煤层气井实测含气量数据,剖析了山西沁水盆地煤层含气量分布特征,建立了煤层含气量与煤层埋深、地质构造之间的相关关系和模型,探讨了煤层甲烷碳同位素分布特征及其对含气性分布的指示作用。研究表明：西山区块2号煤层平均含气量6.87 m³/t,8号煤层平均含气量8.4 m³/t,9号煤层平均含气量7.6 m³/t,煤层含气量主要受煤层埋深和构造形态的影响。研究区8号煤层甲烷碳同位素为–65.33‰~–40.94‰,平均–45.88‰,煤层含气量与甲烷碳同位素之间成正相关关系,随着含气量的增加,甲烷碳同位素也逐渐变重。煤层甲烷碳同位素主要受控于煤层气解吸–扩散–运移效应和地下水动力作用等。