Stable isotope ratio

Summary

The term stable isotope has a meaning similar to stable nuclide, but is preferably used when speaking of nuclides of a specific element. Hence, the plural form stable isotopes usually refers to isotopes of the same element. The relative abundance of such stable isotopes can be measured experimentally (isotope analysis), yielding an isotope ratio that can be used as a research tool. Theoretically, such stable isotopes could include the radiogenic daughter products of radioactive decay, used in radiometric dating. However, the expression stable-isotope ratio is preferably used to refer to isotopes whose relative abundances are affected by isotope fractionation in nature. This field is termed stable isotope geochemistry. Stable-isotope ratios Isotope fractionation Measurement of the ratios of naturally occurring stable isotopes (isotope analysis) plays an important role in isotope geochemistry, but stable isotopes (mostly hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur) are also

Official source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stable_isotope_ratio

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Quantification of biodegradation for o-xylene and naphthalene using first order decay models, Michaelis-Menten kinetics and stable carbon isotopes

At a former wood preservation plant severely contaminated with coal tar oil, in situ bulk attenuation and biodegradation rate constants for several monoaromatic (BTEX) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were determined using (1) classical first order decay models, (2) Michaelis-Menten degradation kinetics (MM), and (3) stable carbon isotopes, for o-xylene and naphthalene. The first order bulk attenuation rate constant for o-xylene was calculated to be 0.0025 d(-1) and a novel stable isotope-based first order model, which also accounted for the respective redox conditions, resulted in a slightly smaller biodegradation rate constant of 0.0019 d(-1). Based on MM-kinetics, the o-xylene concentration decreased with a maximum rate of k(max)=0.1 mu g/L/d. The bulk attenuation rate constant of naphthalene retrieved from the classical first order decay model was 0.0038 d(-1). The stable isotope-based biodegradation rate constant of 0.0027 d(-1) was smaller in the reduced zone, while residual naphthalene in the oxic part of the plume further downgradient was degraded at a higher rate of 0.0038 d(-1). With MM-kinetics a maximum degradation rate of k(max)=12 mu g/L/d was determined. Although best fits were obtained by MM-kinetics, we consider the carbon stable isotope-based approach more appropriate as it is specific for biodegradation (not overall attenuation) and at the same time accounts for the dominant electron-accepting process. For o-xylene a field based isotope enrichment factor epsilon(field) of - 1.4 could be determined using the Rayleigh model, which closely matched values from laboratory studies of o-xylene degradation under sulfate-reducing conditions. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

2009

The strength and temporal rigidity of climate signals are important characteristics of proxy data used to reconstruct climate variability over pre-instrumental periods. Here, we assess the performance of different tree-ring proxies, including ring width, maximum latewood density, delta C-13, and delta O-18, during exceptional cold (1800-1850) and warm periods (1946-2000). The analysis was conducted at a spruce (Picea abies) timberline site in the Swiss Alps in proximity to long homogenized instrumental records to support calibration tests against early temperature and precipitation data. In this cold environment, tree-ring width, maximum latewood density, and delta O-18 are mainly controlled by temperature variations. delta C-13 is influenced by various factors including temperature, precipitation, sunshine, and relative humidity. When comparing the response patterns during cold and warm periods, ring width and maximum latewood density revealed temporally stable temperature signals. In contrast, the association between the stable isotopes and climate changed considerably between the early 19th and late 20th centuries. The temperature signal in delta O-18 was stronger during the recent warm period, whereas the opposite is true for delta C-13. In delta C-13, the temperature signal weakened from the early 19th to the late 20th centuries, but an (inverse) precipitation signal evolved indicating that soil moisture conditions additionally limited recent carbon isotope ratios. An attempt to combine the tree-ring proxies in a multiple regression model did not substantially improve the strength of the dominating temperature signal retained in the latewood density data as this proxy already explained a significant fraction of summer temperature variability. Our findings underscore the importance of split calibration/verification approaches including cold and warm periods, and challenge transfer models based on only late 20th century observational data.

Bogucki Wydawnictwo Naukowe2017

2021

Bogucki Wydawnictwo Naukowe2017