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Di Fusco, E, Rubino, M, Marzaioli, F, Di Rienzo, B, Stellato, L, Ricci, A, Porzio, G, D'onofrio, A and Terrasi, F (2017) Measurements of delta B-11 in water by use of a mass spectrometer with accelerator. Nuclear Instruments & Methods In Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions With Materials And Atoms, 412. 109 -114.

Text 2017DiFusco_Measurements of d11B in water by use of a mass spec with accelerator.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (818kB)

Abstract

This study describes the tests carried out to measure the isotopic composition of Boron (B) in water samples by use of the magnetic spectrometer and accelerator of the Center for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental heritage (CIRCE) of Italy. B was extracted from water samples to obtain Boric acid (B(OH)3), which was then analyzed. We quantified the precision of our experimental system and the variability introduced by the chemical extraction measuring chemically untreated and treated pure B(OH)3 samples. We found an instrumental precision around 10‰ (1σ), but, by increasing the number of replicates (>30), we obtained a standard deviation of the mean (σerr) around 3‰ or lower. We also tested whether the chemical extraction caused isotopic fractionation and found a small fractionation (ε = 5 ± 4‰) of treated samples normalized against untreated ones, compatible with zero at 2σ. In order to avoid δ11B biases, we decided to normalize unknown treated samples with treated standards. Finally, we measured δ11B of seawater and groundwater samples to test the analytical method, and obtained values of 30 ± 6‰ and −4 ± 4‰ respectively. We conclude that our experimental system is only suitable when remarkable (>10‰) δ11B differences exist among water samples, but cannot be used to measure natural differences (<10‰) unless the total uncertainty is significantly decreased.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	The final published version of this article can be accessed online https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X17308832?via%3Dihub
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Boron isotope ratio, Seawater, Groundwater, Boron concentration
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Natural Sciences > School of Geography, Geology and the Environment
Related URLs:	Author
Depositing User:	Symplectic
Date Deposited:	15 May 2018 09:19
Last Modified:	18 Mar 2019 15:51
URI:	http://eprints.keele.ac.uk/id/eprint/4837

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