Precise measurement of stable (δ 88/86Sr) and radiogenic (87Sr/86Sr) strontium isotope ratios in geological standard reference materials using MC-ICP-MS

A new method for high-precision measurements of stable (δ88/86Sr) and radiogenic (87Sr/86Sr) Sr isotope ratios was developed on the MC-ICP-MS using a standard-sample-standard bracketing protocol. By carefully monitoring and controlling the accumulation of the on-peak backgrounds (i.e. the carryover memory) on the instrument, our method can provide an external precision of around 0.010‰ to 0.014‰ for 88/86 Sr measurements. Such precision is comparable to that achieved by double-spike TIMS method (DS-TIMS), and 2-3 times better than those of the previously reported results by MC-ICP-MS without spiking. The results of the standard seawater IAPSO are also identical to those by DS-TIMS. However, our method is more advantageous, efficient and convenient to use for routine Sr isotopic analysis than the DS-TIMS method as there is no need to prepare and calibrate the 84Sr-87 Sr double spike. Using this method, we measured the δ88/86Sr values in a series of international geological rock standards, which show large variability, with the lowest value (0.20‰) registered in JG-2, a terrestrial granite, and the highest value (0.539‰) in UB-N, a serpentinite. This may provide an additional means for isotopic characterization of geological processes, adding a new dimension over the traditional use of radiogenic Sr isotopic ratio 87Sr/86Sr.     

Nd isotopic variations and its implications in the recent sediments from the northern South China Sea

The chondrite-normalized REE distribution patterns in recent sediments from the northern South China Sea and surrounding areas are similar, with the HREE values being almost equal to or slightly higher, and the La_N/Lu_N ratio being lower, than PAAS standards. However, samples from the Xijiang River, a major branch of the Pearl River system, show opposite trends, i.e., with slightly lower HREE values and higher La_N/Lu_N ratio than PAAS. The distribution of Nd isotopes in sediments from the northern South China Sea was controlled by the Pearl River and the inshore area of South China, respectively. The volume of ε_Nd(0) from inshore areas of southern China is apparently higher than that from the Pearl River, and ε_Nd(0) values in offshore sediments and Taiwan Island are between these values. The results clearly show that ε_Nd(0) volume in the northeastern South China Sea is higher than in the southwest part of the northern South China Sea, indicating different source rock types. The main source rock of the Pearl River sediment is carbonate types and affects sediment deposition in the southwest of the northern South China Sea, while the source rock in the inshore area of southern China, mainly Mesozoic and Cenozoic granites, contributes to sediments in the northeastern area of the northern South China Sea. Due to different source rock types, the HREE values and the volume of ε_Nd(0) in recent sediments supplied by the inshore area of southern China are higher than those from the Pearl River. Over 80% of the rapidly accumulated sediments on the northern slope of the South China Sea in the southeast of Dongsha Islands area were derived from Taiwan Island and from inshore areas of South China, with only less than 20% from the Pearl River. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40276019, 40238060 and 40621063), and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB819501)