Determination of Trace Elements in BCS CRM 313/1 (BAS) and NIST SRM 1830 by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis

In the past, there has been little interest in the trace element characteristics of quartz, and in consequence little activity in the trace element characteristics of reference materials with high silicon content. The main purpose of this paper is to contribute to the characterisation of two international certified reference materials, BCS 313/1 from the Bureau of Analysed Samples, (BAS), UK and SRM 1830 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), USA. BCS 313/1 was analysed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), solution ICP-MS and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). NIST SRM 1830 was analysed by LA-ICP-MS and INAA. Analytical results are reported for more than forty elements, most of them for the first time. For most elements, the results obtained by the different methods agree within 15 % relative. The recent, heightened interest in quartz and in particular the precise determination of trace0element contents in natural quartz samples requires the use of well characterised reference materials such as BCS 313/1 and SRM 1830, to which this study is designed to contribute.     

Elemental composition of particulate material sampled from the Arctic haze aerosol

Thirty-six aerosol filter samples collected in tropospheric Arctic haze layers, in the stratosphere, and in the marine boundary layer during the 1983 Arctic Gas and Aerosol Sampling Program were analyzed for trace elements using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Average crustal dust concentrations were 540 ng/m³ and 330 ng/m³ for samples collected in Arctic haze over the North American and Norwegian Arctic, respectively. An average marine salt concentration of 120 ng/m³ was obtained for haze samples collected above the marine boundary layer on both sides of the Arctic.Meteorological and wind trajectory information were used to identify specific haze transport pathways, which brought relatively unmixed aerosol from the central Soviet Union into the AGASP sampling areas. Results from individual filters collected within these transport zones are discussed, with emphasis on certain trace metal ratos which have been proposed by other researchers as discriminators of aerosols from different source regions. Our aircraft-collected data are compared with previously-collected ground-based measurements, and show reasonably good agreement for most tracer elements and ratios. Specifically, we have determined the As/Sb ratio tracer, named by other researchers as the most effective elemental discriminator of aerosol from the central Soviet Union, to be approximately 5–6. This relatively high tracer value is consistent with previous ground-based findings. A significantly lower V/Sb ratio was observed throughout this study, possibly indicating a change in the source signature.     

Chemical compositions and cassfication of Grove Mountains （GRV） 98003 and other Chinese iron meteorites

Concentrations of Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga, Ge, As, Sb, W, Re, Ir, Pt and Au of two ungrouped iron meteorites, Grove Mountains （GRV） 98003 from Antarctica and Ujimqin, were measured using instrumental neutron activation analysis. According to the bulk chemistry, GRV 98003 is classified as a member of ⅠAB group, and Ujimqin as a unique one of ⅠAB iron meteorite complex. The elemental abundance pattern and correlation between elements （e. g. Ni-Au, Co-Au, As-Au, W- Au, Cu-Au, Sb-Au） of GRV 98003 are similar with those of NAW 468 （ⅠAB）, but significantly depleted in refractory siderophile elements （ Re, It） and moderate volatile elements （Ca, Ge） relative to the latter. In addition, we reclassify Nantan （ⅢCD） as a member of ⅠAB main group （MG） and Yongning （ⅠA） as a unique iron meteorite related with IAB iron meteorite complex.     

Neutron Activation Analysis, Atomic Absorption and X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry Review for 2004–2005

These technologically mature techniques occupied a stable to modestly increasing sector of the spectrum of analytical methods in Earth and environmental sciences in 2004–5. Despite this, several notable advances were reported in this two year period. In the field of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, these included the development of portable synchrotron and total reflection instruments, the use of pyroelectric crystals as X-ray generators, introduction of high-purity Ge detector arrays, and the development of an XRF imaging spectrometer with the capability of mapping analytes and X-ray intensity ratio. Atomic absorption s spectrometry saw major work published on high-resolution continuum source AAS (HR-CS AAS) involving the development of a xenon short-arc lamp. Other advances included the use of laser wave mixing in a graphite furnace tube (with a claimed detection limit of 10–¹⁶ g g-¹), solid sampling and ultrasound in sample preparation. Neutron activation analysis saw two innovations that may herald future growth in this technique, namely a neutron source free of a nuclear reactor and a detector operating at room temperature.     

GGR Critical Review of Analytical Developments in 2006–2007

In 2005 the Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research editorial team, in the true spirit of scientific endeavour, embarked on an experiment of our own. We decided to trial a new kind of review, somewhat different from those more typically observed in journals, and one that would provide readers with a summary of analytical developments across a broad range of topics appropriate to the Earth sciences. The first contribution of this kind appeared in 2005, and reported on developments in 2003 (Hergt et al. 2005). The second, this time a biennial review, was published in 2006 and reported on highlights of the 2004 and 2005 literature (Hergt et al. 2006). Based on reprint requests, positive remarks at conferences and strong citations we consider the experiment a resounding success and proudly present here the third in this series. This comprises six individual review sections that cover the main analytical technologies and topical application fields in geoanalysis and geochemistry, including geological and environmental reference materials, ICP‐thermal and secondary ionisation‐mass spectrometry, as well as neutron activation analysis, X‐ray fluorescence and atomic absorption spectrometry.     

Geochemistry of Permian Coal and Its Combustion Residues in Huainan Coalfield, China

INTRODUCTIONMany environmental problems may arise during coal min-ing and utilization. Among these prob1ems, much attention hasbeen paid to S(), and NO. emission during coal combustion.But the environmental effects produced by hazardous elementsduring coal mining and utilization are also important and de-serve to be studied (Goodazi, 1995; Finkelman, 1993; Valk-ovic, l983). For example, when coal wastes are used for landreclamation, the harmful elements in them may pollute water,soil an…     

Bioaccumulation of Cobalt in Parmelia sulcata

Six locations across mainland Portugal were selected for exposing Parmelia sulcata, for a one-year period (8 months for one site), with simultaneous measurement of total (dry + wet) deposition (one-month periods). The exposed lichens and the total (dry + wet) deposition were analysed for cobalt contents by INAA (instrumental neutron activation analysis) and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy), respectively. The designated wet deposition was evaluated through the collected water volume; the designated dry deposition was assessed after the (dried) residual mass of the wet deposition. An excellent agreement between Co contents in exposed lichens and the cumulative (1) Co contents in the dry deposition, (2) dry deposition, and (3) wet deposition has been found for the locations with alternate drought and precipitation months, high dry deposition, and high Co contents in the latter. Continuous rainfall was found to hinder the Co accumulation in the lichen due to its release from the lichen and/or lower Co contents in the dry deposition. At three locations, P. sulcata Co contents, after subtraction of the background (before exposure), equalled or exceeded the Co contents in the cumulative dry deposition at the end of the exposure time. The optimal exposure period for this species likely depends on the exposure conditions.     

Selenium Concentrations in Twenty-Six Geological Reference Materials: New Determinations and Proposed Values

The interest in selenium concentrations in whole rocks is growing, in part because it is a useful tool for base and precious metal exploration. Selenium is often neglected in whole rock geochemistry because of the inability of most laboratories to make reliable determinations of this element. A consequence of these difficulties is a paucity of assigned or certified values for Se in international geological reference materials, so that the "best practice" proposed by Kane and Potts (2007) to obtain robust values for such reference materials cannot be followed. In order to address this problem, we have determined Se by pre-concentration on thiol-cotton fibre followed by INAA (Se/TCF-INAA technique) in twenty-six international geological reference materials, and one quality control material (KPT-1). These values were used, in conjunction with a set of published values, to estimate Se concentrations for these twenty-seven reference samples. Robust statistics were developed for seven of the RMs, with standard deviations equal to or less than precisions calculated using the Horwitz function and so that consensus values could be proposed. For three of the RMs, the presence of outliers gave less robust results, and suggested values are proposed. For seventeen of the RMs, only information values are provided, because either insufficient determinations were available or because large standard deviations of the data were derived.     

内蒙古阿尔山地区新生代玄武岩及其幔源包体微量元素组成特征

内蒙古阿尔山地区新生代火山活动频繁,喷发期次可划分为上新世、更新世、全新世,最新喷发时间约为1 900 a B P,具有再次喷发的可能。为了探讨活火山源区地幔流体的分布特征,利用中子活化分析和同步辐射X射线荧光微探针分析技术,对阿尔山地区全新世玄武岩及其幔源包体的稀土、微量元素组成特征、地幔包体矿物及其熔融包裹体的微量元素组成特征进行了分析。中子活化分析结果表明,不同产地玄武岩具有相同的稀土配分模式,其中,Σ8REE=96.93~114.94,Eu/Sm=0.32~0.37,(L a/Lu)N=8.89~12.52;不相容元素蛛网曲线整体右倾,B a,T a,Sm具正异常,T h,Z r具负异常,没有明显的S r异常,说明岩浆上升过程中很少演化和分离结晶;不同产地地幔岩包体中不含包裹体的同类矿物的REE组成相近,反映了不同活火山的地幔源区REE组成特征相同;不同产地地幔岩包体同类矿物及其内部包裹体同步辐射X射线荧光微探针分析表明具有相同的微量元素曲线分布形态;这些特征说明阿尔山活火山群分布区地幔流体不存在显著的不均一性。