The Position Dependent 15N Enrichment of Nitrous Oxide in the Stratosphere

Abstract

The position dependent ¹⁵N fractionation of nitrous oxide (N₂O), which cannot be obtained from mass spectrometric analysis on molecular N₂O itself, can be determined with high precision using isotope ratio mass spectrometry on the NO⁺ fragment that is formed on electron impact in the source of an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Laboratory UV photolysis experiments show that strong position dependent ¹⁵N fractionations occur in the photolysis of N₂O in the stratosphere, its major atmospheric sink. Measurements on the isotopic composition of stratospheric N₂O indeed confirm the presence of strong isotope enrichments, in particular the difference in the fractionation constants for ¹⁵N¹⁴NO and ¹⁴N¹⁵NO. The absolute magnitudes of the fractionation constants found in the stratosphere are much smaller, however, than those found in the lab experiments, demonstrating the importance of dynamical and also additional chemical processes like the reaction of N₂O with O(¹D).     

The Selective Flux of Sulfur and Implications for Magmatic Sulfur Isotope Fractionation

The selective flux of sulfur during magma emplacement is proposed to explain some abnormal δ³⁴S data from granitic and basaltic rocks. It is assumed that on the one hand a quasi-equilibrium isotope fractionation exists between sulfate and sulfide during magma cooling, and on the other hand a non-equilibrium fractionation occurs between the fluxed sulfur and the magmatic sulfur. The results show that at high fO₂, ³⁴S is preferably enriched in sulfate with decreasing temperature, without a corresponding depletion of sulfide in ³⁴S. The δ³⁴S value of solidified rocks is then significantly shifted in the positive direction due to the selective degassing or assimilation. Conversely, at low fO₂, ³⁴S is preferably depleted in sulfide as temperature declines, while a corresponding ³⁴S-enrichment in sulfate does not occur. As a consequence, δ³⁴S value of the rocks is driver in the negative direction.     

18O/16O and 13C/12C Fractionation During the Reaction of Carbonates with Phosphoric Acid: Effects of Cationic Substitution and Reaction Temperature

Abstract

The factors for ¹⁸O/¹⁶O fractionation between carbonates and CO₂ gas produced by the dissolution of the carbonates in phosphoric acid (sealed vessel method) have been investigated as a function of reaction temperature (20–90°C) and cationic substitution in the solid. Synthetic CaCO₃, Ca_0.75 Mn_0.25 CO₃, MnCO₃, BaCO₃ and SrCO₃ powders, and a natural kutnahorite sample were used as solids. The δ¹⁸O values of the gaseous CO₂ liberated by the reaction with phosphoric acid decrease with increasing temperature and seem to be a linear function of T(°K)^?2. The slopes are specific for different carbonates. No temperature-depended ¹³C/¹²C fractionation seems to exist.     

Nitrogen isotope fractionation factors (α) measured and estimated from the volatilisation of ammonia from water at pH 9.2 and pH 8.5

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the nitrogen isotope fractionation factors (α) associated with the volatilisation of ammonia from water under controlled conditions at two pH values (8.5 and 9.2). This experiment assumed the continuous removal of ammonia at a single purge rate of 10?mL air min^?1. The fractionation resulting from the removal of total ammonia from the water into an acid trap was named the observed isotope fractionation factor (α_obs), and it was measured as 1.019 (±0.0025) at pH 8.5 and 1.030 (±0.0025) at pH 9.2. The observed isotope fractionation factor includes the equilibrium isotope fractionation factor (α_eq) and the kinetic isotope fractionation factor (α_kin), each one mathematically derived from the experimental data. The equilibrium and kinetic isotope fractionation factors were estimated as α_eq?=?1.036 (±0.0014) and α_kin?=?1.050 (±0.003), respectively. Our results are compared to other previously measured and estimated fractionation factors.     

Poisson's effects in electrical field flow fractionation

Recent and earlier models of electrical field flow fractionation (ELFFF) have assumed that the electric field within the fluid domain is governed by Laplace's equation. This assumption results in a linear potential and a spatially constant field across the channel and is generally true for very dilute systems and relatively high effective potentials. Experimental studies show, however, that the effective potential within the channel may be less than 1% of the applied potential; this is apparently due to double layer formation and charge buildup at the poles. In such cases, local analyte concentrations can, nonetheless, be orders of magnitude higher than the bulk mean and the local potential small, both of which can lead to a nonlinear spatial distribution of the field strength. In such cases Poisson's equation must be used rather than Laplace's equation. Steady-state ELFFF simulations were performed using a Poisson's equation-based model. The domain in which Laplace's equation is valid was identified and the effects of concentration and effective field strength on device performance were explored.     

Validation of the Tessier scheme for speciation of metals in soil using the Bland and Altman test

The Tessier extraction method was used for speciation of Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Fe and Mn in a large concentration range in contaminated soil with various mineralogical compositions. The results were compared by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) as a reference method using the Bland and Altman test. A sum of five fractions (exchangeable, bound to carbonates, Fe-Mn oxides, organic matter and residual forms) was compared with the total content determined on solid matrix by the reference method. A good agreement between the methods in the whole concentration range was found for Cu, Zn, As, and Fe. For Mn and Pb, XRF was found suitable to verify the sequential extraction only for concentrations above 250 mg kg⁻¹. This was a consequence of a poorer reproducibility of Pb extraction using the Tessier scheme due to a great difference in the mineralogical composition and the diversity of the Pb species identified in soil. The poorer result of Mn was attributed to the spectral interference of Fe in XRF. Presented at the 34th International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 21–25 May 2007.     

Thallium fractionation in polluted environmental samples using a modified BCR three-step sequential extraction procedure and its determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Determination of thallium in polluted environmental samples and their extracts obtained by a modified BCR three-step sequential extraction procedure was used to study thallium distribution and mobility in the monitored polluted area affected by acidification (Šobov, Central Slovakia). The results of fractionation applied to 5 soil certified reference materials and 14 environmental samples show that the vast majority of thallium occurred in the residual fraction. This means that highly toxic thallium is strongly entrapped in the parent rock materials remains immobile and its environmental toxicity is therefore reduced. The limit of detection for thallium in the studied fractions was lower than 0.050 mg kg⁻¹, the precision (RSD) of the ultratrace determination of thallium in the studied fractions was better than 17 % and the accuracy of the used method was verified by analyzing certified reference materials. Presented at the XVIIIth Slovak Spectroscopic Conference, Spišská Nová Ves, 15–18 October 2006.     

Three-way multivariate analysis of metal fractionation results from sediment samples obtained by different sequential extraction procedures and ICP-OES

Three typical schemes for metal fractionation were applied to analyse coastal surface sediment samples from Bahía Blanca estuary, where an important industrial emplacement is located. Also, three certified reference materials for total metal concentrations were analysed. The studied metals were cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and zinc because of their hazardous potential and related abundance in the estuary. The concentration of metals was determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). A three-way multivariate analysis was performed in order to obtain a better visualization of the experimental data. The extracted information was used to evaluate the equivalence among the results obtained by the three sequential extraction schemes. The data were analysed by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). PARAFAC models with two factors describe appropriately the data sets (explained variance about 54% and core consistency of 100%). The multivariate decomposition showed that the three applied schemes are able to describe equally well the behaviour of the metals in the different sediment fractions.     

Non-linear dynamics of stable carbon and hydrogen isotope signatures based on a biological kinetic model of aerobic enzymatic methane oxidation

The non-linear dynamics of stable carbon and hydrogen isotope signatures during methane oxidation by the methanotrophic bacteria Methylosinus sporium strain 5 (NCIMB 11126) and Methylocaldum gracile strain 14 L (NCIMB 11912) under copper-rich (8.9 µM Cu²⁺), copper-limited (0.3 µM Cu²⁺) or copper-regular (1.1 µM Cu²⁺) conditions has been described mathematically. The model was calibrated by experimental data of methane quantities and carbon and hydrogen isotope signatures of methane measured previously in laboratory microcosms reported by Feisthauer et al. [1 Feisthauer S, Vogt C, Modrzynski J, Szlenkier M, Krüger M, Siegert M, Richnow HH. Different types of methane monooxygenases produce similar carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation patterns during methane oxidation. Geochim Cosmochim Acta. 2011;75:1173–1184. doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2010.12.006[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]] M. gracile initially oxidizes methane by a particulate methane monooxygenase and assimilates formaldehyde via the ribulose monophosphate pathway, whereas M. sporium expresses a soluble methane monooxygenase under copper-limited conditions and uses the serine pathway for carbon assimilation. The model shows that during methane solubilization dominant carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation occurs. An increase of biomass due to growth of methanotrophs causes an increase of particulate or soluble monooxygenase that, in turn, decreases soluble methane concentration intensifying methane solubilization. The specific maximum rate of methane oxidation υ_m was proved to be equal to 4.0 and 1.3 mM mM^?1 h^?1 for M. sporium under copper-rich and copper-limited conditions, respectively, and 0.5 mM mM^?1 h^?1 for M. gracile. The model shows that methane oxidation cannot be described by traditional first-order kinetics. The kinetic isotope fractionation ceases when methane concentrations decrease close to the threshold value. Applicability of the non-linear model was confirmed by dynamics of carbon isotope signature for carbon dioxide that was depleted and later enriched in ¹³C. Contrasting to the common Rayleigh linear graph, the dynamic curves allow identifying inappropriate isotope data due to inaccurate substrate concentration analyses. The non-linear model pretty adequately described experimental data presented in the two-dimensional plot of hydrogen versus carbon stable isotope signatures.     

Mathematical Model for Vinyl‐Divinyl Polymerization

A mathematical model for the crosslinking copolymerization of a vinyl and divinyl monomer was developed and applied to the case of methyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate batch polymerization. Model results compare favorably to the experimental findings of Li and Hamielec 23 for the system investigated. The model presented utilizes the numerical fractionation technique 15 and is capable of predicting a broad range of distributional properties both for pre‐ and post‐gel operating conditions as well as polymer properties that were not experimentally determined from the experimental findings of Li and Hamielec, such as crosslink density and branching frequency. The effects of divinyl monomer fraction and chain transfer agent level on the polymer properties and the dynamics of gelation were also investigated.