Demonstration of significant abiotic iron isotope fractionation in nature

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 2001 Demonstration of significant abiotic iron isotope fractionation in nature Thomas D. Bullen; Thomas D. Bullen 1Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Arthur F. White; Arthur F. White 1Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Cyril W. Childs; Cyril W. Childs 2School of Chemistry and Physical Sciences, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Davisson V. Vivit; Davisson V. Vivit 3Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Marjorie S. Schulz Marjorie S. Schulz 3Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Thomas D. Bullen 1Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA Arthur F. White 1Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA Cyril W. Childs 2School of Chemistry and Physical Sciences, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand Davisson V. Vivit 3Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA Marjorie S. Schulz 3Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 14 Nov 2000 Revision Received: 05 Apr 2001 Accepted: 19 Apr 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2001) 29 (8): 699–702. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0699:DOSAII>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 14 Nov 2000 Revision Received: 05 Apr 2001 Accepted: 19 Apr 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Thomas D. Bullen, Arthur F. White, Cyril W. Childs, Davisson V. Vivit, Marjorie S. Schulz; Demonstration of significant abiotic iron isotope fractionation in nature. Geology 2001;; 29 (8): 699–702. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0699:DOSAII>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Field and laboratory studies reveal that the mineral ferrihydrite, formed as a result of abiotic oxidation of aqueous ferrous to ferric Fe, contains Fe that is isotopically heavy relative to coexisting aqueous Fe. Because the electron transfer step of the oxidation process at pH >5 is essentially irreversible and should favor the lighter Fe isotopes in the ferric iron product, this result suggests that relatively heavy Fe isotopes are preferentially partitioned into the readily oxidized Fe(II)(OH)x(aq) species or their transition complexes prior to oxidation. The apparent Fe isotope fractionation factor, αferrihydrite- water, depends primarily on the relative abundances of the Fe(II)(aq) species. This study demonstrates that abiotic processes can fractionate the Fe isotopes to the same extent as biotic processes, and thus Fe isotopes on their own do not provide an effective biosignature. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.