Variations of stable hydrogen isotopes in plankton from a freshwater lake

The isotopic composition of the organically bonded hydrogen in micro plankton and zoo-plankton samples collected monthly from Lake Kinneret during 1972 and 1973 ranges between ?90 and ?130%. The temporal variations which have been observed in the deuterium content of the plankton samples, seem to be controlled by metabolic processes and not by variations in the temperature and in the deuterium content of the lake water. The organic material of the Zooplankton is consistently enriched in deuterium, by about 20%., as compared to that of the phytoplankton.     

Carbon and oxygen isotope fractionation in scleractinian corals: a review

The present theories on the fractionation of stable isotopes in scleractinian corals are critically discussed in the light of data available on primary productivity, respiration and stable isotope chemistry. These data support a model of fractionation in which the carbon and oxygen isotopes are decoupled. Calcification occurs from a reservoir of carbon dioxide derived from both organic and inorganic sources. Photosynthesis preferentially fixes¹³C and thereby leaves behind¹³C. Increases in the rate of photosynthesis therefore also enrich the carbon isotope ratio of the skeleton. From theoretical considerations, photosynthesis has little effect on the oxygen isotope ratio of the skeleton, a fact confirmed by available data. The process of respiration adds depleted carbon and oxygen to the calcification reservoirs. The varying correlations between carbon and oxygen isotopes seen in hermatypic corals are caused by changes in the relationship between photosynthesis and respiration at different geographical localities. The isotopic compositions in the skeletons of non-zooxanthellate corals, which show a consistent positive correlation, can also be explained by the above scenario.     

Hydrogen isotope fractionation in freshwater and marine algae: II. Temperature and nitrogen limited growth rate effects

Zhang and Sachs [Hydrogen isotope fractionation in freshwater algae: I. Variations among lipids and species. Organic Geochemistry 38, 582–608, 2007] demonstrated that algal lipid δD values track water δD values with high fidelity (R² > 0.99), but that D/H fractionation varied among lipids and algal species. Here we report on the influence of temperature and nitrogen limitation on D/H fractionation in lipids from cultured microalgae. Two species of freshwater green algae, Eudorina unicocca and Volvox aureus, were grown in batch culture at 15 °C and 25 °C. Increased D/H fractionation of 2?4‰/°C occurred at the higher temperature in all lipids analyzed. The marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana was grown in continuous culture under nitrogen replete (NR) and nitrogen limited (NL) conditions, resulting in a growth rate that was 4.4 fold lower under the latter conditions. The fatty acid content of NL cells was approximately 4 fold higher than in NR cells, whereas the sterol content was similar in both. While sterols from the NL culture were enriched in deuterium by 37‰ relative to the NR culture, fatty acids from both cultures had similar δD values, implying that D/H fractionation during isoprenoid (branched) lipid synthesis is affected by nitrogen limitation, but D/H fractionation during acetogenic (linear) lipid synthesis is not. Cross-talk of the precursor isopentenyl diphosphate between the cytosolic MVA and plastidic DOXP/MEP synthetic pathways is a plausible mechanism for the observed D/H differences between isoprenoid and acetogenic lipids. This preliminary study highlights the need to consider both the type of lipid and potential changes in growth conditions in paleoenvironmental studies using lipid D/H ratios.     

Carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of algae and bacteria from hydrothermal environments,Yellowstone National Park

Stromatolites forming today on a small scale in hydrothermal environments are chemical and biological analogues of much larger Precambrian formations. Carbon isotopic composition varied as a function of CO₂ concentration, pH, and species composition. Stratiform, layered stromatolites grew in silica-depositing springs at 55° to 70°C; they consisted mainly of a unicellular alga, Synechococcus, and a filamentous, photosynthetic bacterium, Chloroflexus. These thermophiles become enriched in ¹²C as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the effluent waters increases. At a concentration of 40 ppm total inorganic C, and δ¹³C of organic carbon was ～ ?12%., whereas at 900 ppm total inorganic C, the δ¹³C of similar species was ～ ?25%.. Conical stromatolites or conophytons (principally a filamentous, blue-green alga Phormidium and Chloroflexus) grew at 40°-55°C. In older, broader conophytons, Chloroflexus was the dominant organism. Their δ¹³C values were ～ ?18%. in a variety of hot springs. In carbonate-depositing springs, i.e., carbon dioxide saturated, conophytons and stromatolites consisting of a variety of blue-green algae and photosynthetic bacteria had the most negative δ¹³C values (to ?30%.). These carbon isotope ratios are directly comparable to carbon isotope ratios of kerogen from Precambrian stromatolites. The presence and activity of methanogenic bacteria or heterotrophic, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria did not alter significantly the δ¹³C of the original organic matter.The hydrogen isotopic fractionation between thermophilic organisms and water is 0 to ?74 for temperatures of 85° to 46°C, respectively. Acidophilic algae fractionated hydrogen isotopes to a lesser extent than did the photosynthetic organisms inhabiting neutral pH springs. Because organic matter retains some of its original isotopic signature, relationships of CO₂ levels, pH, temperature, and species composition between modern stromatolites and their environment and those of the Precambrian can be inferred.     

Geochemical implications of induced changes in C13 fractionation by blue-green algae

The photosynthetic fractionation of carbon isotopes by blue-green algae in laboratory culture is dependent in a non-linear fashion on the CO₂ concentration in the feed gas. For the three species tested, the minimum fractionation occurred at a CO₂ concentration of 0.2% in air and was approximately zero for the two marine species tested. Enrichment of C¹² in the reduced carbon is not an inevitable result of photosynthetic carbon fixation. Temperature and pH had no detectable effect on fractionation. The maximum fractionation observed in the laboratory cultures or in recent blue-green algal mats was 18‰. Differences in the isotope ratio of coexisting oxidized and reduced carbon in Precambrian stromatolites are as great as 31‰. Present carbon isotopic evidence is not consistent with the idea that blue-green algae were major contributors to the organic matter in Precambrian sediments.     

Carbon isotope fractionation in various forms of biogenic organic matter: I. Partitioning of carbon isotopes between the main polymers of higher plant biomass

Partitioning of carbon isotopes between main polymers of biomass of higher plants was investigated by the example of the structural polymers of wheat plant: lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose representing the ligno-carbohydrate complex, starch and proteins representing storage compounds, and the lipid fraction. Biopolymers account from 80% (grasses) to 95% (trees) of the biomass of higher plants and are of geochemical interest as biological precursors for the terrigenous organic matter (OM) of sediments and sedimentary rocks. The biomass of algae is also dominated (∼80%) by polymers: proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. The isotopic heterogeneity of the organs and parts of plants is controlled by carbon isotope composition (from −33.3 to −25.9‰) in biopolymers and their distribution: among various parts of plants. The carbohydrates: starch and hemicellulose are isotopically heaviest (−25.9 and −26.2‰), proteins are slightly poorer in ¹³C (up to −27.3‰), and lipids (−33.3‰) and lignin (−32.6‰) are isotopically light components of the biomass. The regularity of carbon isotopes partitioning among the large complexes of the biomass of higher plants is reflected in the existence of a common linear trend of δ¹³C values of biopolymers versus the ranges of thermodynamic β-factor values calculated by the method of isotopic bond numbers for the whole set of monomers in the composition of each polymer studied. The carbohydrates of grain and straw (starch, xylan, and cellulose) form a common C6–C5 pool of the isotopically heaviest polymers of the higher plant biomass (wheat). No significant isotopic effects were observed at the transformation between C6–C5 monomers and their transport between plant organs during grain ripening.     

不同地质储库中的镁同位素组成及碳酸盐矿物形成过程中的镁同位素分馏控制因素

镁同位素在低温地球化学过程中显著的分馏效应,是其示踪地球表生环境演化及物质循环的基础。本文在前人研究的基础上,对地球上不同地质储库中的镁同位素组成及碳酸盐矿物形成过程中的镁同位素分馏控制因素进行了总结:火成岩的镁同位素组成较均一;风化产物总体富集重的镁同位素,且变化较大;碳酸盐岩中灰岩相对白云岩富集轻的镁同位素,但总体上富集轻的镁同位素;岩石类型、风化强度以及植被等因素对河流地表水的镁同位素组成影响较大,导致地表水的镁同位素组成总体变化较大;海水的镁同位素组成均一,平均值约为-0.83‰;低温条件下,控制碳酸盐矿物无机成因过程中镁同位素分馏的因素有矿物相、沉淀速率和温度,其中矿物相是主要控制因素;生物成因碳酸盐矿物镁同位素组成与生物体对含镁碳酸盐矿物的利用形式有关,除了需考虑与无机碳酸盐沉淀类似的控制因素外,还需考虑不同物种对轻、重镁同位素的选择性吸收能力;因生物成因海相碳酸盐矿物几乎都是由最初的无定形相碳酸盐转变而来,故生物成因海相碳酸盐矿物的镁同位素特征不能代表生成无定形相碳酸盐的流体的镁同位素特征。镁同位素在低温条件下具有良好的分馏效应,随着分析测试技术的发展及不同地质储库中镁同位素组成数据的积累和完善,有关表生环境中镁同位素分馏机制的许多问题将逐步得到解决,镁同位素在揭示地球表生环境演化及物质循环方面将发挥更大的作用。     

Maximum carbon isotope fractionation in photosynthesis by blue-green algae and a green alga

The maximum carbon isotope fractionation occurring in photosynthetic fixation of carbon dioxide in pure cultures of blue-green algae was ?23.9%. and for a green alga was ?22.6%., Maximum fractionations were obtained where cell densities were low and carbon dioxide concentrations were greater than 0.5%. Fractionation was reduced at higher temperatures using a thermophilic blue-green alga. For filamentous blue-green algae wherein clumping occurs and localized cell concentrations were high, fractionation was also lower. Fractionations reported in literature for Precambrian organic materials are comparable to the maximum fractionations reported here. This suggests that the early photosynthetic organisms developed under conditions of high carbon dioxide availability, i.e. slow growth rates and/or low population densities.     

Fractionation of hydrogen,oxygen and carbon isotopes in n-alkanes and cellulose of three Sphagnum species

Compound-specific isotope measurements of organic compounds are increasingly important in palaeoclimate reconstruction. Searching for more accurate peat-based palaeoenvironmental proxies, compound-specific fractionation of stable C, H and O isotopes of organic compounds synthesized by Sphagnum were determined in a greenhouse study. Three Sphagnum species were grown under controlled climate conditions. Stable isotope ratios of cellulose, bulk organic matter (OM) and C₂₁–C₂₅ n-alkanes were measured to explore whether fractionation in Sphagnum is species-specific, as a result of either environmental conditions or genetic variation. The oxygen isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O) of cellulose was equal for all species and all treatments. The hydrogen isotopic composition (δD) of the n-alkanes displayed an unexpected variation among the species, with values between −154‰ for Sphagnum rubellum and −184‰ for Sphagnum fallax for the C₂₃ n-alkane, irrespective of groundwater level. The stable carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C) of the latter also showed a species-specific pattern. The pattern was similar for the carbon isotope fractionation of bulk OM, although the C₂₃ n-alkane was >10‰ more depleted than the bulk OM. The variation in H fractionation may originate in the lipid biosynthesis, whereas C fractionation is also related to humidity conditions. Our findings clearly emphasize the importance of species identification in palaeoclimate studies based on stable isotopes from peat cores.     

Iron isotope fractionation in oxic soils by mineral weathering and podzolization

Stable iron isotope ratios in three soils (two Podzols and one Cambisol) were measured by MC-ICPMS to investigate iron isotope fractionation during pedogenic iron transformation and translocation processes under oxic conditions. Podzolization is a soil forming process in which iron oxides are dissolved and iron is translocated and enriched in the subsoil under the influence of organic ligands. The Cambisol was studied for comparison, representing a soil formed by chemical weathering without significant translocation of iron. A three-step sequential extraction procedure was used to separate operationally-defined iron mineral pools (i.e., poorly-crystalline iron oxides, crystalline iron oxides, silicate-bound iron) from the soil samples. Iron isotope ratios of total soil digests were compared with those of the separated iron mineral pools. Mass balance calculations demonstrated excellent agreement between results of sequential extractions and total soil digestions. Systematic variations in the iron isotope signature were found in the Podzol profiles. An enrichment of light iron isotopes of about 0.6‰ in δ⁵⁷Fe was found in total soil digests of the illuvial Bh horizons which can be explained by preferential translocation of light iron isotopes. The separated iron mineral pools revealed a wide range of δ⁵⁷Fe values spanning more than 3‰ in the Podzol profiles. Strong enrichments of heavy iron isotopes in silicate-bound iron constituting the residue of weathering processes, indicated the preferential transformation of light iron isotopes during weathering. Iron isotope fractionation during podzolization is probably linked to the ligand-controlled iron translocation processes. Comparison of iron isotope data from eluvial and illuvial horizons of the Podzol profiles revealed that some iron must have been leached out of the profile. However, uncertainties in the initial iron content and iron isotopic composition of the parent materials prevented thorough mass balance calculations of iron fluxes within the profiles. In contrast to the Podzol profiles, the Cambisol profile displayed uniform δ⁵⁷Fe values across soil depth and showed only a small enrichment of light iron isotopes of about 0.4‰ in the poorly-crystalline iron oxide pool extracted by 0.5 M HCl. This work demonstrates that significant iron isotope fractionations can occur during pedogenesis in oxic environments under the influence of organic ligands. Our findings provide new insights into fractionation mechanisms of iron isotopes and will help in the development of stable iron isotopes as tracers for biogeochemical iron cycling in nature.     

Large fractionation of calcium isotopes during cave-analogue calcium carbonate growth

We have measured δ^44/42Ca of laboratory-precipitated calcite grown in an experimental setup that closely replicates stalagmite formation. Calcium solutions were dripped onto two different substrates in tightly-controlled conditions and calcite precipitated due to rapid CO₂ degassing. With seeded glass slides as the substrate, we observe a Ca isotope ratio in the calcite which is ∼0.5‰ per amu lower than that in the growth solution. This fractionation is generally almost twice that observed in previously published calcite growth experiments and indicates a large kinetic effect on Ca isotopes in the stalagmite growth environment. The precipitate forming near the spot where the drip lands shows slightly greater solution-to-precipitate fractionation than calcite further from the drip reflecting a decrease in this kinetic fractionation as precipitation continues. We interpret these results in the context of the model of Fantle and DePaolo (2007) which involves surface entrapment of light Ca isotopes to decrease calcite δ^44/42Ca, and depletion of Ca from the solution in the direct vicinity of the growing calcite to increase calcite δ^44/42Ca. In the stalagmite setting, the second of these effects is minimized so that calcite Ca isotope ratios are unusually light. This interpretation suggests that stalagmite Ca isotope ratios should decrease with the saturation state of the drip water (i.e. with the growth rate of calcite). Ca isotopes might therefore allow reconstruction of surface entrapment of trace metals and isotopes more generally and might, for instance, allow an assessment of the appropriate relationship between oxygen isotope fractionation and temperature for periods of past growth in stalagmites.     

富有机物流体中一些重要Ge同位素的平衡分馏参数

锗（Ge）同位素在地球化学领域有着潜在的应用意义,但是Ge同位素平衡分馏参数的缺乏,严重制约了其在相关研究中的应用。本研究提供了富有机物流体中物种Ge（OH）4、GeO（OH）3^-以及Ge的一些亲有机质络合物（Ge与邻苯二酚、柠檬酸以及草酸配合形成的络合物）之间的Ge同位素平衡分馏参数。用基于Urey模型（或称Bigeleisen-Mayer公式）理论,结合量子化学计算的方法,在B3LYP／6-311＋G（d,p）理论水平下计算了这些Ge同位素平衡分馏系数,其中,溶液效应用精确的“水滴法”来处理。预测这些基本分馏参数的误差约为±0．2‰。纯水溶液中,△Ge（OH）4-GeO（OH）3^-约为0．6‰,海水中稍小,约为0．3‰;而△Ge（OH）4-Ge-邻苯二酚、△Ge（OH）4-Ge-草酸、△Ge（OH）4-Ge-柠檬酸（c）和△Ge（OH）4-Ge柠檬酸（d）非常大,分别约为4．4‰、3．5‰、3．8‰和3．9‰。这些大的分馏或许可以用来示踪生物作用参与过程。结果表明,轻的Ge同位素将富集在富有机质的环境,如煤系、黑色页岩及一些缺氧的条件下,因此这些环境可能存在一个轻Ge同位素的“汇”。     

Tracing H isotope effects in the dynamic metabolic network using multi-nuclear (1H, 2H and 13C) solid state NMR and GC–MS

Recent studies reveal substantial variability in biosynthetic ²H/¹H fractionation between lipids and water, which highlights the effect of central metabolic pathways on the H isotopic composition of the end products. Using multi-nuclear (¹H, ²H and ¹³C) solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), we were able to track the incorporation of ¹H and ²H metabolic fluxes into different cellular components of Escherichia coli during growth on two sets of media: (i) 10% deuterated water and non-deuterated glucose, and (ii) non-deuterated water and 10% deuterated glucose. In the 10% ²H water experiment, the ²H abundance of the bulk cell was 4.5%; the ²H uptake by membrane lipids, aliphatic H in proteins, and all the non-aliphatic H positions (including nucleic acids and sugars) was 6.2%, 2.3% and 6.2%, respectively. In the 10% ²H glucose experiment, the corresponding ²H uptake was 2.0%, 1.4% and 2.5%, respectively, and 1.9% for the bulk cell. The net fractionation of fatty acids (FAs) relative to water and glucose was consistent with that in studies employing natural ²H abundance, suggesting the 10% deuterated environment does not alter isotope fractionation during FA biosynthesis. Aliphatic H in proteins was significantly depleted in ²H relative to FAs by 290–640‰. This depletion is likely related to the dynamic regulation of central metabolic pathways that gradually builds up ²H in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates though continuous interaction with water, leading to the rapid synthesis of isotopically light amino acids early in the cell cycle and the production of isotopically enriched FAs late in the cell cycle. Besides, enzyme malfunctioning caused by ²H substitution is likely to promote proteolysis, which could also contribute to the ²H depletion in proteins. Non-aliphatic H positions as a whole exhibited similar net fractionation factors to the lipids. The study provides an overview of H isotope distribution in the major molecular constituents of intact bacterial cells, offering insight into the mechanisms underlying the metabolic control on the H isotopic composition of biomarker precursors.     

铁同位素体系及其在矿床学中的应用

本文报道了世界范围内不同含铁矿物的Fe同位素组成,进一步了解了铁同位素在不同含铁矿物中的基本分布特征;系统总结了铁同位素在不同储库和不同类型矿床中的分布特征,构筑了铁同位素体系的基本框架;结合最新的研究成果,较全面地总结了铁同位素在矿床学领域的应用,得出了铁同位素可以用来示踪流体出溶、流体演化、表生蚀变作用和成矿物质来源的基本认识。在流体出溶过程中,相对于岩体,出溶的流体富集铁的轻同位素;成矿流体体系的演化过程中,矿物的结晶沉淀会导致铁同位素发生分馏,随着Fe(III)矿物的结晶沉淀,流体逐渐富集铁的轻同位素,随着Fe(II)矿物的结晶沉淀,流体逐渐富集铁的重同位素,随着矿物的结晶沉淀,流体的Fe同位素组成随时间发生演化;在成矿后的表生蚀变作用过程,高温蚀变作用形成的产物相对于原矿物富集铁重同位素,低温蚀变作用形成的产物基本保留了原矿物的铁同位素组成;Fe同位素在示踪成矿物质来源具有应用潜力,流体出溶、流体演化等重要成矿作用过程中Fe同位素组成的变化规律是利用Fe同位素示踪Fe来源的关键所在。     

Hydrogen isotope fractionation in lipids of the methane-oxidizing bacterium Methylococcus capsulatus

Hydrogen isotopic compositions of individual lipids from Methylococcus capsulatus, an aerobic, methane-oxidizing bacterium, were analyzed by hydrogen isotope-ratio-monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The purposes of the study were to measure isotopic fractionation factors between methane, water, and lipids and to examine the biochemical processes that determine the hydrogen isotopic composition of lipids. M. capsulatus was grown in six replicate cultures in which the δD values of methane and water were varied independently. Measurement of concomitant changes in δD values of lipids allowed estimation of the proportion of hydrogen derived from each source and the isotopic fractionation associated with the utilization of each source.All lipids examined, including fatty acids, sterols, and hopanols, derived 31.4 ± 1.7% of their hydrogen from methane. This was apparently true whether the cultures were harvested during exponential or stationary phase. Examination of the relevant biochemical pathways indicates that no hydrogen is transferred directly (with C-H bonds intact) from methane to lipids. Accordingly, we hypothesize that all methane H is oxidized to H₂O, which then serves as the H source for all biosynthesis, and that a balance between diffusion of oxygen and water across cell membranes controls the concentration of methane-derived H₂O at 31%. Values for α_l/w, the isotopic fractionation between lipids and water, were 0.95 for fatty acids and 0.85 for isoprenoid lipids. These fractionations are significantly smaller than those measured in higher plants and algae. Values for α_l/m, the isotopic fractionation between lipids and methane, were 0.94 for fatty acids and 0.79 for isoprenoid lipids. Based on these results, we predict that methanotrophs living in seawater and consuming methane with typical δD values will produce fatty acids with δD between −50 and −170‰, and sterols and hopanols with δD between −150 and −270‰.     

Seasonal changes in D/H fractionation accompanying lipid biosynthesis in Spartina alterniflora

To investigate potential variability in the biosynthetic fractionation of hydrogen isotopes between environmental water and plant lipids, the cord grass Spartina alterniflora was sampled from a single location in a coastal marsh over a period of 16 months. Values of δD for a variety of lipids were measured by gas chromatography/pyrolysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry. S. alterniflora grows partially submerged in seawater, so it has a virtually unlimited supply of water with nearly unvarying isotopic composition. Temporal changes in the δD values of lipids can thus be interpreted as representing mainly variations in biosynthetic fractionation. Fatty acids, n-alkanes, and phytol extracted from S. alterniflora have nearly constant δD values from ∼October through May, but exhibit marked decreases of up to 40‰ during summer months. These shifts in lipid δD values are interpreted as representing a change in the source of organic substrates, principally acetate, used for their biosynthesis. Lower summertime δD values for lipids are consistent with an increasing reliance on current photosynthate as feedstock for biosynthesis, whereas stored carbohydrate reserves are utilized more extensively during other times of the year. Regardless of the specific mechanism, the data emphasize that overall fractionations between water and plant lipids depend on biological as well as environmental variables, and that the biosynthetic fractionation is not necessarily constant even for a single plant. Because lipids such as fatty acids are present in all cells and turn over on timescales of weeks to months, measurements of δD values in fatty acids may also provide useful constraints for distinguishing biologic versus environmental controls on cellulose δD values in trees.     

Mercury isotope fractionation during photoreduction in natural water is controlled by its Hg/DOC ratio

Photoreduction of Hg in natural water plays a crucial role in the production of elemental Hg and its biogeochemical cycle. Solar irradiation and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in water are considered to be the major factors inducing Hg photoreduction. We investigated Hg isotope fractionation during photoreduction and its relationship with Hg/DOC ratios. Both mass dependent (MDF) and mass independent fractionation (MIF) was observed. MIF enriched ¹⁹⁹Hg and ²⁰¹Hg in the reactant Hg(II) and thus, significantly enhanced the fractionation between odd and even isotopes. This direction of MIF is consistent with magnetic isotope effect as the underlying cause for the odd isotope enrichment in reactants. MIF also occurred in dark controls. But in the absence of light, ¹⁹⁹Hg and ²⁰¹Hg were enriched in the product Hg(0), which is not explained by magnetic isotope effects. We propose that nuclear volume effect dominated Hg isotope fractionation under these conditions. The reduction kinetics and isotope fractionation during photoreduction strongly correlated to Hg/DOC concentration ratios. Although different reduction kinetics and fractionation factors were measured at different Hg/DOC ratios, the same Hg/DOC ratios led to almost identical results. The degree of MIF for the two odd isotopes was also affected by Hg/DOC ratios. For this reason, it is critical to study Hg photoreduction at a near-natural Hg/DOC ratio in order to better simulate natural conditions. We suggest that differences in Hg-DOC binding, which varies with Hg/DOC ratios, may be responsible for the relationship between Hg/DOC ratios and Hg photoreduction.     

镉稳定同位素研究进展

Cd具有挥发性和亲硫性,在海洋环境中Cd为微量营养元素,而在生态环境及农业土壤环境中Cd为有毒元素。因此,镉同位素被应用于海洋科学、地球科学、环境科学及农业科学研究,并展现出巨大的应用潜力。本文总结了近年来富含有机质的环境样品、植物样品和生物样品的消解方法,以及Cd分离纯化及双稀释剂校正方法的研究进展。采用微波、高压灰化和高氯酸消解等样品前处理方法均可消除有机质对镉同位素测定的影响;基于AG MP-1（M）树脂-盐酸淋洗体系可有效分离基体及干扰元素,不会导致镉同位素分馏;111Cd-113Cd同位素双稀释剂校正体系的测试精度高,可达0.1εCd/amu。同时,本文阐述了镉同位素在海洋科学、地球科学、环境科学及农业科学领域研究的最新进展和认识。镉同位素已成功应用于构建海洋生物地球化学Cd循环体系、反演古海洋环境及初级生产力变化,硫化物矿床成矿流体演化、成矿物质来源示踪及不同成因矿床类型判别研究,环境体系Cd污染源的源区判别、农田面源Cd来源及其运移、循环及储存机制研究。本文提出需要进一步开展镉同位素分馏机制及分馏模型的研究,构建Cd稳定同位素地球化学体系。     

Kinetic oxygen isotope effects during dissimilatory sulfate reduction: A combined theoretical and experimental approach

Kinetic isotope effects related to the breaking of chemical bonds drive sulfur isotope fractionation during dissimilatory sulfate reduction (DSR), whereas oxygen isotope fractionation during DSR is dominated by exchange between intercellular sulfur intermediates and water. We use a simplified biochemical model for DSR to explore how a kinetic oxygen isotope effect may be expressed. We then explore these relationships in light of evolving sulfur and oxygen isotope compositions (δ³⁴S_SO4 and δ¹⁸O_SO4) during batch culture growth of twelve strains of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Cultured under conditions to optimize growth and with identical δ¹⁸O_H2O and initial δ¹⁸O_SO4, all strains show ³⁴S enrichment, whereas only six strains show significant ¹⁸O enrichment. The remaining six show no (or minimal) change in δ¹⁸O_SO4 over the growth of the bacteria. We use these experimental and theoretical results to address three questions: (i) which sulfur intermediates exchange oxygen isotopes with water, (ii) what is the kinetic oxygen isotope effect related to the reduction of adenosine phosphosulfate (APS) to sulfite (SO₃²⁻), (iii) does a kinetic oxygen isotope effect impact the apparent oxygen isotope equilibrium values? We conclude that oxygen isotope exchange between water and a sulfur intermediate likely occurs downstream of APS and that our data constrain the kinetic oxygen isotope fractionation for the reduction of APS to sulfite to be smaller than 4‰. This small oxygen isotope effect impacts the apparent oxygen isotope equilibrium as controlled by the extent to which APS reduction is rate-limiting.     

Multiple Sulfur Isotope Determination by SIMS: Evaluation of Reference Sulfides for Δ33S with Observations and a Case Study on the Determination of Δ36S

High spatial resolution multiple sulfur isotope studies undertaken by multi‐collector secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) commonly use well‐characterised sulfide reference materials that do not (or are assumed not to) exhibit mass‐independent fractionation in ³³S and ³⁶S, taking advantage of the three‐isotope plot to evaluate the extent of such fractionation in unknown targets. As a result, few studies to date have used a mass independently fractionated reference sulfide to demonstrate accuracy of measurement and/or data reduction procedures. This article evaluates two mass independently fractionated sulfides, a pyrite from the 3.7 Ga Isua greenstone belt and a pyrrhotite from a 2.7 Ga gold deposit in Minas Gerais, Brazil, which may be used to provide additional confidence in the obtained multiple sulfur isotope data. Additionally, the article presents a method for measuring quadruple sulfur isotopes by SIMS at a comparable spatial and volume resolution to that typically employed for triple sulfur isotopes. This method has been applied to the Isua pyrite as well as to a sample of 2.5 Ga pyrite from the Campbellrand, Transvaal, South Africa, previously investigated using SIMS for triple sulfur isotopes, illustrating its potential for quadruple sulfur investigations.