Applications of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis in oceanography and environmental science

Zhao Meixun; Yu Meng; Zhang Hailong; Tao Shuqin

doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-4193.2014.04.006

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Zhao Meixun, Yu Meng, Zhang Hailong, Tao Shuqin. Applications of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis in oceanography and environmental science[J]. Haiyang Xuebao, 2014, 36(4): 1-10. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4193.2014.04.006

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Zhao Meixun, Yu Meng, Zhang Hailong, Tao Shuqin. Applications of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis in oceanography and environmental science[J]. Haiyang Xuebao, 2014, 36(4): 1-10. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4193.2014.04.006

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Applications of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis in oceanography and environmental science

doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4193.2014.04.006

Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China;Institute of Marine Organic Geochemistry, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China

Received Date: 2013-05-03
Rev Recd Date: 2013-08-19

Abstract

Abstract

Compound-specific radiocarbon analysis (CSRA) is a novel approach to isolate and recover sufficient quantities of individual target compounds (so-called biomarker) from complex organic matrices for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon (¹⁴C) analysis. This molecular level radiocarbon analysis can reveal the isotopic heterogeneity of total organic carbon, which provides a new approach to understand the carbon source, migration and transformation. In oceanography, CSRA can provide direct information about the residence time of carbon in global reservoirs and estimate the contribution of fossil carbon input; to indicate sediment deposit processes in the past; to understand the prokaryotic metabolic pathways and refine the sediment chronologies. In environmental science, CSRA can be used as a tool for source apportionment of toxic compounds (e.g., PAHs) and for the determination of microbial carbon sources in petroleum contaminated sediments. As the individual compound separation technology and AMS sensitivity both improve, CSRA technology will be more widely applied in the future.
- compound-specific radiocarbon analysis(CSRA),
- ¹⁴C,
- biomarker,
- oceanography,
- environmental science

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References(85)

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