Franziska A. Lechleitner
Towards organic carbon isotope records from stalagmites: coupled d13C and 14 C analysis using wet chemical oxidation
Lechleitner, Franziska A.; Lang, Susan Q.; Haghipour, Negar; McIntyre, Cameron; Baldini, James U.L.; Prufer, Keith M.; Eglinton, Timothy I.
Authors
Susan Q. Lang
Negar Haghipour
Cameron McIntyre
Professor James Baldini james.baldini@durham.ac.uk
Professor
Keith M. Prufer
Timothy I. Eglinton
Abstract
Speleothem organic matter can be a powerful tracer for past environmental conditions and karst processes. Carbon isotope measurements (δ13C and 14C) in particular can provide crucial information on the provenance and age of speleothem organic matter, but are challenging due to low concentrations of organic matter in stalagmites. Here, we present a method development study on extraction and isotopic characterization of speleothem organic matter using a rapid procedure with low laboratory contamination risk. An extensive blank assessment allowed us to quantify possible sources of contamination through the entire method. Although blank contamination is consistently low (1.7 ± 0.34 – 4.3 ± 0.86 μg C for the entire procedure), incomplete sample decarbonation poses a still unresolved problem of the method, but can be detected when considering both δ13C and 14C values. We test the method on five stalagmites, showing reproducible results on samples as small as 7 μg C for δ13C and 20 μg C for 14C. Furthermore, we find consistently lower non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC) 14C values compared to the carbonate 14C over the bomb spike interval in two stalagmites from Yok Balum Cave, Belize, suggesting overprint of a pre-aged or even fossil source of carbon on the organic fraction incorporated by these stalagmites.
Citation
Lechleitner, F. A., Lang, S. Q., Haghipour, N., McIntyre, C., Baldini, J. U., Prufer, K. M., & Eglinton, T. I. (2019). Towards organic carbon isotope records from stalagmites: coupled d13C and 14 C analysis using wet chemical oxidation. Radiocarbon, 61(3), 749-764. https://doi.org/10.1017/rdc.2019.35
Journal Article Type | Article |
---|---|
Online Publication Date | Apr 23, 2019 |
Publication Date | Apr 23, 2019 |
Deposit Date | Apr 23, 2019 |
Publicly Available Date | Oct 23, 2019 |
Journal | Radiocarbon |
Print ISSN | 0033-8222 |
Electronic ISSN | 1945-5755 |
Publisher | Cambridge University Press |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 61 |
Issue | 3 |
Pages | 749-764 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1017/rdc.2019.35 |
Public URL | https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1298182 |
Publisher URL | https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/radiocarbon/article/towards-organic-carbon-isotope-records-from-stalagmites-coupled-13c-and-14c-analysis-using-wet-chemical-oxidation/7326D57C0DF9D89C352D8DB3F152ABCF |
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Copyright Statement
This article has been published in a revised form in Radiocarbon [https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2019.35]. This version is free to view and download for private research and study only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works. © 2019 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona
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