Bertrand Thomas

Anthropogenic vs. lithogenic origins of trace elements (As, Cd, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sn, Zn) in water column particles: northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Abstract The distribution of heavy metal was analyzed in water column particles collected in autumn (October 1985) and spring (March 1986) by two series of sediment traps from a mooring located in the northeastern Mediterranean Sea continental slope. Four traps were set, at 50, 100, 300, 600 m depths on the mooring in 645 m deep water in the Lacaze-Duthier canyon. The total metal concentrations were determined by ICP-MS. Results show that Rb and Sc contents display typical shale values. As, Cd, Pb, Sb, Zn (normalized to Sc) display high enrichment factors (up to 50) over shale compositions. Distinctive temporal variability as well as the respective contributions of local (Tet, Aude) and remote (Rhone) rivers and Sahara-derived aerosols have been identified. Fluxes of most elements observed in the upper 100 m can be attributed to atmospheric fluxes. In the deepest traps (300 and 600 m) these fluxes are, however, mostly dominated by riverine particles advected from the continental shelf. Most of the trace-element enrichments are more likely to be related to the anthropogenic input rather than to biological cycling. Isotopic composition of lead determined by ICP-MS enabled to evaluate that the proportion of anthropogenic lead derived from European gasoline consumption ranged between 50 and 100%.

Factorial optimization of data acquisition factors for lead isotope ratio determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract A factorial optimization of data acquisition factors was performed to minimize non-random instrumental noise on an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Results have identified instrumental and analytical operating conditions under which lead isotope ratios can be measured precisely and accurately in natural samples. Precision was checked periodically over weeks and ranged 0.10–0.30, 0.15–0.35, 0.15–0.35, 0.10–0.30 and 0.10–0.20 (%) for 206/204, 207/204, 208/204, 206/207 and 208/206 ratios respectively. Mass bias was minimized and the correction factors were typically of 0.6% for 206/204, 1.5% for 207/204, 1.8% for 208/204, 0.8% for 206/207 and 1.2% for 208/206. These results were performed with a dwell time of 20 ms, 40 sweeps per replicate, 8 replicates by analysis, a time factor of 15 applied on mass 204 and three points per peak in the low resolution mode. The total duration time of an analysis was 10:50 min and it was found that optimum concentration of lead in solution was 50 ng ml −1 on our instrument.

Ultratrace analysis of krypton isotopes by resonant ionization spectroscopy-time of flight mass spectrometry (RIS-TOF)

A new RIS-TOF instrument, called FAKIR (Facility for Analyzing Krypton Isotope Ratios), has been developed at CENBG in order to measure Kr isotope ratios with an extremely high sensitivity. The instrument uses a single color Kr ionization scheme with tunable coherent UV photons near 216.6 nm. A two-photon resonance excitation allows it to reach the 5p[5/2]2 excitation level followed by a single-photon ionization. Krypton ions are accelerated towards an electron multiplier. The instrument includes a cryogenic concentrator that increases the efficiency of the ion source and a new selecting system allowing the deflection of the abundant isotopes before they impact the detector. This device eliminates the blinding effect on the detector that alters the detection of the less abundant Kr isotopes. The current sensitivity of the instrument of ∼6700 atoms has been demonstrated by extracting the gas from 37 mg of the Boguslavka iron meteorite. The associated errors on the 81Kr isotope ratio measurements did not exceed ∼12%. A good agreement is observed with conventional mass spectrometry analysis, which requires several grams of material, by measuring the cosmic ray exposure age of the Boguslavka meteorite.

Development toward a double focusing isotopic separator for noble gas isotope enrichment

A double focusing sector field mass filter used in Nier-Johnson geometry has been built in order to perform Kr isotope enrichment for 81 Kr and 85 Kr isotopes. The principle consists in implanting Kr+ ions accelerated at 7 keV in Al foils after separation using the magnetic sector. A specific ion source has been designed capable of generating high Kr+ ion beams (>0.5 μA) to transfer into the collecting Al foils in 3 to 5 h significant fractions of large Kr samples (1015 to 1016 atoms) initially introduced in the instrument. Implanted Kr isotopes can be further selectively released from the Al foil by surface ablation using an infrared laser beam. Implantation yields and enrichment factors are measured using a conventional mass spectrometer. Copyright