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Matrix-independent B isotope analysis of silicate and carbonate reference materials by UV femtosecond LA-MC-ICP-MS with application to the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus
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  • Grit Steinhoefel,
  • Kristina Beck,
  • Albert Benthien,
  • Klaus-Uwe Richter,
  • Gertraud Schmidt-Grieb,
  • Jelle Bijma
Grit Steinhoefel
Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung

Corresponding Author:grit.steinhoefel@awi.de

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Kristina Beck
Alfred Wegener Institute for Marine and Polar Research
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Albert Benthien
Alfred Wegener Institute for Marine and Polar Research
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Klaus-Uwe Richter
Alfred Wegener Institute for Marine and Polar Research
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Gertraud Schmidt-Grieb
Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar und Meeresforschung
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Jelle Bijma
Alfred Wegener Institute for Marine and Polar Research
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Abstract

RATIONALE Boron isotopes are a powerful tool for pH reconstruction in marine carbonates and as tracer for fluid-mineral interaction in geochemistry. Micro-analytical approaches based on laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) often suffer from effects induced by the sample matrix. In this study, we investigated matrix-independent analyses of B isotopic ratios and applied this technique to cold-water corals. METHODS We employed a customized 193 nm femtosecond laser ablation system (Solstice, Spectra-Physics) coupled to a MC-ICP-MS (Nu Plasma II, Nu Instruments) equipped with electron multipliers for in situ measurements of B isotope ratios (11B/10B) at the micron-scale. We analyzed various reference materials of silicate and carbonate matrices using non-matrix match calibration without employing any correction mode. This approach was then applied to investigates defined increments in coral samples from a Chilean fjord. RESULTS We obtained accurate B isotope ratios with a precision of ± 0.9‰ (2 SD) for various reference materials including silicate glasses (GOR132-G, StHs6/80-G, ATHO-G, and NIST SRM 612), clay (IAEA-B-8) and carbonate (JCp-1) using the silicate glass NIST SRM 610 as calibration standard, which shows that neither laser-induced nor ICP-related matrix effects are detectable. The application to cold-water corals (Desmophyllum dianthus) reveal little intra-skeleton variations in δ11B with average values between 23.27 and 26.09‰. CONCLUSIONS Our instrumental set-up provides accurate and precise B isotopic ratios independently of the sample matrix at the micron-scale. This approach opens a wide field of application in geochemistry, including pH reconstruction in biogenic carbonates and deciphering processes related to fluid-mineral interaction.
12 Dec 2022Submitted to Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry
13 Dec 2022Submission Checks Completed
13 Dec 2022Assigned to Editor
13 Dec 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
13 Dec 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
25 Jan 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
21 Feb 20231st Revision Received
22 Feb 2023Submission Checks Completed
22 Feb 2023Assigned to Editor
22 Feb 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
25 Feb 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
10 Mar 20232nd Revision Received
11 Mar 2023Assigned to Editor
11 Mar 2023Submission Checks Completed
11 Mar 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 Mar 2023Editorial Decision: Accept