Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-tj2md Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T17:27:16.661Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Storage and Hydrolysis of Seawater Samples for Inorganic Carbon Isotope Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2016

Charlotte L Bryant ,
Sian F Henley ,
Callum Murray ,
Raja S Ganeshram  and
Richard Shanks
Charlotte L Bryant*
Affiliation:
NERC Radiocarbon Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, United Kingdom
Sian F Henley
Affiliation:
School of Geosciences, King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, United Kingdom
Callum Murray
Affiliation:
NERC Radiocarbon Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, United Kingdom
Raja S Ganeshram
Affiliation:
School of Geosciences, King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, United Kingdom
Richard Shanks
Affiliation:
AMS Laboratory, SUERC, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, United Kingdom
*
2Corresponding author. Email: charlotte.bryant@glasgow.ac.uk.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Preservation of seawater samples was tested for total inorganic carbon (∑CO2), stable carbon isotope (δ13C), and radiocarbon (14C) applications using foil bags and storage by refrigeration and freezing. The aim was to preserve representative samples with minimal storage effects but without using toxic methods such as mercuric chloride poisoning. Hydrolysis of samples to CO2 was based on existing methods. Results of IAEA-C2 standard used with deionized water stored in the foil bags showed complete reaction yields, 14C results within 2σ of the consensus value, and δ13C that were internally consistent, indicating that there were no procedural effects associated with the foil bags. 14C results were statistically indistinguishable across the storage times, for frozen and refrigerated seawater samples from a coastal site, Elie Ness, Fife, UK. The scatter of ∑CO2 concentrations and δ13C was within scatter observed in other studies for lake- and seawater samples preserved by acidification or using mercuric chloride. However, both ∑CO2 and δ13C were less variable for frozen samples compared with refrigerated samples. The foil bags are lighter, safer to transport, and similar in cost to glass bottles and allow sample collection in the field and transfer to the hydrolysis vessel without exposure of the sample to atmosphere. Storage of seawater samples in the foil bags was considered a reliable, alternative method to poisoning for ∑CO2, δ13C, and 14C, and freezing the samples is recommended for storage time beyond a week.

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 55 , Issue 2: Proceedings of the 21st International Radiocarbon Conference (Part 1 of 2) , 2013 , pp. 401 - 409
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bard, E, Arnold, M, Maurice, P, Duplessy, J-C. 1987. Measurements of bomb radiocarbon in the ocean by means of accelerator mass spectrometry: technical aspects. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 29(1–2):297–301.Google Scholar
Doctor, DH, Kendall, C, Sebestyen, SD, Shanley, JB, Ohte, N, Boyer, EW. 2008. Carbon isotope fractionation of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) due to outgassing of carbon dioxide from a headwater stream. Hydrological Processes 22(14):2410–23.Google Scholar
Freeman, SPT, Cook, GT, Dougans, AB, Naysmith, P, Wilcken, KM, Xu, S. 2010. Improved SSAMS performance. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 268(7–8):715–7.Google Scholar
Garnett, MH, Hardie, SML, Murray, C. 2012. Radiocarbon analysis of methane emitted from the surface of a raised peat bog. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 50:158–63.Google Scholar
Key, RM, Quay, PD, Schlosser, P, McNichol, AP, von Reden, KF, Schneider, RJ, Elder, KL, Stuiver, M, Göte Östlund, H. 2002. WOCE Radiocarbon IV: Pacific Ocean results; P10, P13N, P14C, P18, P19 & S4P. Radiocarbon 44(1):239–92.Google Scholar
Rozanski, K, Stichler, W, Gonfiantini, R, Scott, EM, Beukens, RP, Kromer, B, van der Plicht, J. 1992. The IAEA 14C Intercomparison Exercise 1990. Radiocarbon 34(3):506–19.Google Scholar
McNichol, AP, Jones, GA, Hutton, DL, Gagnon, AR. 1994. The rapid preparation of seawater ∑CO2 for radiocarbon analysis at the National Ocean Sciences AMS Facility. Radiocarbon 36(2):237–46.Google Scholar
Schlosser, P, Pfleiderer, C, Kromer, B, Levin, I, Münnich, KO, Bonani, G, Suter, M, Wölfli, W. 1987. Measurement of small volume oceanic 14C samples by accelerator mass spectrometry. Radiocarbon 29(3):347–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Slota, PJ Jr, Jull, AJT, Linick, TW, Toolin, LJ. 1987. Preparation of small samples for 14C accelerator targets by catalytic reduction of CO. Radiocarbon 29(2):303–6.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M, Polach, HA. 1977. Discussion: reporting of 14C data. Radiocarbon 19(3):355–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taipale, SJ, Sonninen, E. 2009. The influence of preservation method and time on the δ13C value of dissolved inorganic carbon in water samples. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 23(16):2507–10.Google Scholar