The distribution of lead concentrations and isotope compositions in the eastern Tropical Atlantic Ocean

Anthropogenic emissions have dominated marine Pb sources during the past century. Here we present Pb concentrations and isotope compositions for ocean depth profiles collected in the eastern Tropical Atlantic Ocean (GEOTRACES section GA06), to trace the transfer of anthropogenic Pb into the ocean interior. Variations in Pb concentration and isotope composition were associated with changes in hydrography. Water masses ventilated in the southern hemisphere generally featured lower 206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/207Pb ratios than those ventilated in the northern hemisphere, in accordance with Pb isotope data of historic anthropogenic Pb emissions. The distributions of Pb concentrations and isotope compositions in northern sourced waters were consistent with differences in their ventilation timescales. For example, a Pb concentration maximum at intermediate depth (600–900 m, 35 pmol kg−1) in waters sourced from the Irminger/Labrador Seas, is associated with Pb isotope compositions (206Pb/207Pb = 1.1818–1.1824, 208Pb/207Pb = 2.4472–2.4483) indicative of northern hemispheric emissions during the 1950s and 1960s close to peak leaded petrol usage, and a transit time of ∼50–60 years. In contrast, North Atlantic Deep Water (2000–4000 m water depth) featured lower Pb concentrations and isotope compositions (206Pb/207Pb = 1.1762–1.184, 208Pb/207Pb = 2.4482–2.4545) indicative of northern hemispheric emissions during the 1910s and 1930s and a transit time of ∼80–100 years. This supports the notion that transient anthropogenic Pb inputs are predominantly transferred into the ocean interior by water mass transport. However, the interpretation of Pb concentration and isotope composition distributions in terms of ventilation timescales and pathways is complicated by (1) the chemical reactivity of Pb in the ocean, and (2) mixing of waters ventilated during different time periods. The complex effects of water mass mixing on Pb distributions is particularly apparent in seawater in the Tropical Atlantic Ocean which is ventilated from the southern hemisphere. In particular, South Atlantic Central Water and Antarctic Intermediate Water were dominated by anthropogenic Pb emitted during the last 50–100 years, despite estimates of much older average ventilation ages in this region

An experimental study of thallium partitioning and isotope fractionation during planetary core formation processes

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Cadmium isotope fractionation in seawater - A signature of biological activity

Investigations of cadmium isotope variations in the oceans may provide new insights into the factors that control the marine distribution and cycling of this element. Here we present the results of Cd isotope and concentration analyses for 22 seawater samples from the Atlantic, Southern, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans. The results reveal, for the first time, large and well resolved Cd isotope fractionations in the marine environment. The majority of the seawater samples display an inverse relationship between dissolved Cd contents and isotope compositions, which range from ε114/110Cd ≈ + 3 ± 0.5 for Cd-rich waters (0.8-1.0 nmol/kg) to ε114/110Cd ≈ 38 ± 6 for surface water with a Cd concentration of only 0.003 nmol/kg (all ε114/110Cd data are reported relative to the JMC Cd Münster standard). This suggests that the Cd isotope variations reflect kinetic isotope effects that are generated during closed system uptake of dissolved seawater Cd by phytoplankton. A few samples do not follow this trend, as they exhibit extremely low Cd contents (< 0.008 nmol/kg) and nearly un-fractionated Cd isotope compositions. Such complexities, which are not revealed by concentration data alone, require that the Cd distribution at the respective sites was affected by additional processes, such as water mass mixing, atmospheric inputs of Cd and/or adsorption. Uniform isotope compositions of ε114/110Cd = + 3.3 ± 0.5 (1 S.D.) were determined for seawater from ≥ 900 m depth, despite of Cd concentrations that display the expected increase along the global deep-water pathway from the Atlantic (∼ 0.3 nmol/kg) to the Pacific Ocean (∼ 0.9 nmol/kg). This indicates that the biomass, which is remineralized in the deeper ocean, is also characterized by a very constant Cd isotope composition. This observation is in accord with the interpretation that the Cd distribution in surface waters is primarily governed by Rayleigh fractionation during near-quantitative uptake of dissolved seawater Cd. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved