Osmium uptake, distribution, and 187Os/188Os and 187Re/188Os compositions in Phaeophyceae macroalgae, Fucus vesiculosus: Implications for determining the 187Os/188Os composition of seawater

Racionero-Gómez, B.; Sproson, A.D.; Selby, D.; Gannoun, A.; Gröcke, D.R.; Greenwell, H.C.; Burton, K.W.

Abstract

The osmium isotopic composition (187Os/188Os) of seawater reflects the balance of input from mantle-, continental- and anthropogenic-derived sources. This study utilizes the Phaeophyceae, Fucus vesiculosus, to analyse its Os abundance and uptake, as well as to assess if macroalgae records the Os isotope composition of the seawater in which it lives. The data demonstrates that Os is not located in one specific biological structure within macroalgae, but is found throughout the organism. Osmium uptake was measured by culturing F. vesiculosus non-fertile tips with different concentrations of Os with a known 187Os/188Os composition (∼0.16), which is significantly different from the background isotopic composition of local seawater (∼0.94). The Os abundance of cultured non-fertile tips show a positive correlation to the concentration of the Os doped seawater. Moreover, the 187Os/188Os composition of the seaweed equaled that of the culture medium, stongly confirming the possible use of macroalgae as a biological proxy for the Os isotopic composition of the seawater.

Citation

Racionero-Gómez, B., Sproson, A., Selby, D., Gannoun, A., Gröcke, D., Greenwell, H., & Burton, K. (2016). Osmium uptake, distribution, and 187Os/188Os and 187Re/188Os compositions in Phaeophyceae macroalgae, Fucus vesiculosus: Implications for determining the 187Os/188Os composition of seawater. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 199, 48-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2016.11.033

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 21, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Nov 30, 2016
• Publication Date: Nov 30, 2016
• Deposit Date: Nov 21, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 30, 2017
• Journal: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
• Print ISSN: 0016-7037
• Electronic ISSN: 1872-9533
• Publisher: Meteoritical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 199
• Pages: 48-57
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2016.11.033
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1400401