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The experimental determination of equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors among H4SiO4 degrees, H3SiO4- and amorphous silica (SiO2 center dot 0.32 H2O) at 25 and 75 degrees C using the three-isotope method

Stamm, FM; Zambardi, T; Chmeleff, J; Schott, J; von Blanckenburg, F; Oelkers, EH; (2019) The experimental determination of equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors among H4SiO4 degrees, H3SiO4- and amorphous silica (SiO2 center dot 0.32 H2O) at 25 and 75 degrees C using the three-isotope method. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta , 255 pp. 49-68. 10.1016/j.gca.2019.03.035. Green open access

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Abstract

The accurate interpretation of Si isotope signatures in natural systems requires knowledge of the equilibrium isotope fractionation between Si-bearing solids and the dominant Si-bearing aqueous species. Aqueous silicon speciation is dominated by silicic acid (H4SiO4o) in most natural aqueous fluids at pH < 8.5, but forms H3SiO4−, H2SiO42−, and polymeric Si species in more alkaline fluids. In this study isotope exchange experiments were performed at bulk chemical equilibrium between amorphous silica (SiO2∙0.32 H2O) and inorganic aqueous fluids at pH ranging from 5.8 to 9.9 at 25° and 75 °C with experiments running as long as 375 days. The three-isotope method was used to quantify the equilibrium Si isotope fractionation, Δeq30Si, between amorphous silica and aqueous Si; at pH ∼ 6 this equilibrium fractionation factor was found to be 0.45 ± 0.2‰ at 25 °C, and 0.07 ± 0.6‰ at 75 °C. At more basic pH (>9), equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors between solid and aqueous solution are higher, at 1.63 ± 0.23‰ at 25 °C, and 1.06 ± 0.13‰ at 75 °C. Taking account of the distribution of the aqueous Si species, equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors between H3SiO4− and H4SiO4o of −2.34 ± 0.13‰ and −2.21 ± 0.05‰ at 25 and 75 °C, respectively, were determined. The distinct equilibrium isotope fractionation factors of H3SiO4− and H4SiO4o, and its variation with temperature can be used to establish paleo-pH and temperature proxies. The application of the three-isotope method also provides insight into the rates of isotopic exchange. For the solid grain size used (∼20 nm), these rates match closely the measured bulk dissolution rates for amorphous silica for most of the isotope exchange process, suggesting the dominant and rate controlling isotope exchange mechanism in the experiments is detachment and reattachment of material at the amorphous silica surface.

Type: Article
Title: The experimental determination of equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors among H4SiO4 degrees, H3SiO4- and amorphous silica (SiO2 center dot 0.32 H2O) at 25 and 75 degrees C using the three-isotope method
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2019.03.035
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2019.03.035
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Science & Technology, Physical Sciences, Geochemistry & Geophysics, Si isotope fractionation, three isotope method, amorphous silica, isotope exchange rates, AQUEOUS FE(II), RICE PLANTS, DISSOLUTION KINETICS, SPECIATION CONTROLS, PRECAMBRIAN CHERTS, STABLE-ISOTOPES, IRON, TEMPERATURE, BORON, EXCHANGE
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Earth Sciences
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10076780
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