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RADIOCARBON IN DISSOLVED ORGANIC CARBON BY UV OXIDATION: PROCEDURES AND BLANK CHARACTERIZATION AT NOSAMS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2020

Li Xu Open the ORCID record for Li Xu [Opens in a new window] ,
Mark L Roberts ,
Kathryn L Elder Open the ORCID record for Kathryn L Elder [Opens in a new window] ,
Mark D Kurz ,
Ann P McNichol ,
Christopher M Reddy ,
Collin P Ward  and
Ulrich M Hanke
Li Xu*
Affiliation:
NOSAMS Laboratory, Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA
Mark L Roberts
Affiliation:
NOSAMS Laboratory, Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA
Kathryn L Elder
Affiliation:
NOSAMS Laboratory, Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA
Mark D Kurz
Affiliation:
NOSAMS Laboratory, Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA
Ann P McNichol
Affiliation:
Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA
Christopher M Reddy
Affiliation:
Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA
Collin P Ward
Affiliation:
Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA
Ulrich M Hanke
Affiliation:
NOSAMS Laboratory, Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA, 02543USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: lxu@whoi.edu.
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Abstract

This study describes a procedural blank assessment of the ultraviolet photochemical oxidation (UV oxidation) method that is used to measure carbon isotopes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) at the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Facility (NOSAMS). A retrospective compilation of Fm and δ13C results for secondary standards (OX-II, glycine) between 2009 and 2018 indicated that a revised blank correction was required to bring results in line with accepted values. The application of a best-fit mass-balance correction yielded a procedural blank of 22.0 ± 6.0 µg C with Fm of 0.30 ± 0.20 and δ13C of –32.0 ± 3.0‰ for this period, which was notably higher and more variable than previously reported. Changes to the procedure, specifically elimination of higher organic carbon reagents and improved sample and reactor handling, reduced the blank to 11.0 ± 2.75 µg C, with Fm of 0.14 ± 0.10 and δ13C of –31.0 ± 5.5‰. A thorough determination of the entire sample processing blank is required to ensure accurate isotopic compositions of seawater DOC using the UV oxidation method. Additional efforts are needed to further reduce the procedural blank so that smaller DOC samples can be analyzed, and to increase sample throughput.

Keywords

blankdissolved organic carbonradiocarbonUV oxidation
Type
Technical Note
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 63 , Issue 1 , February 2021 , pp. 357 - 374
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Creative Commons
This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States
Copyright
© Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona, 2020

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