Precise measurement of Fe isotopes in marine and biological samples by pseudo-high-resolution multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS).

This paper introduces an enhanced technique for analyzing iron isotopes in complex marine and biological samples. A dedicated iron purification method for biological marine matrices, utilizing three ion exchange columns, is validated. The MC-ICPMS in pseudo-high-resolution mode determines precise iron isotopic ratios, with sensitivity improved through the DSN-100 desolvating nebulizer system and Apex-IR.

Organ-specific mercury stable isotopes, speciation and particle measurements reveal methylmercury detoxification processes in Atlantic Bluefin Tuna.

Identifying metabolism and detoxification mechanisms of Hg in biota has important implications for biomonitoring, ecotoxicology, and food safety. Compared to marine mammals and waterbirds, detoxification of MeHg in fish is understudied. Here, we investigated Hg detoxification in Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus using organ-specific Hg and Se speciation data, stable Hg isotope signatures, and Hg and Se particle measurements in multiple tissues.

Authenticating teas using multielement signatures, strontium isotope ratios, and volatile compound profiling.

High value food products are subject to adulterations and frauds. This study aimed to combine, in our knowledge for the first time, inorganic chemical tracers (multi-elements and Sr isotopy) with volatile organic compound (VOCs) to discriminate the geographic origin, the varieties and transformation processes to authenticate 26 tea samples. By measuring Sr isotope ratio using the multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), 6 out of 11 regions were successfully discriminated.

Reply to the comment on "New insights into the biomineralization of mercury selenide nanoparticles through stable isotope analysis in giant petrel tissues" by A. Manceau, J. Hazard. Mater. 425 (2021) 127922. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127922.

In the comments reported by A. Manceau [1], relating to our recent paper on mercury (Hg) species-specific isotopic characterization in giant petrel tissues [2] two critical questions were raised. Firstly, according to A.

New insights into the biomineralization of mercury selenide nanoparticles through stable isotope analysis in giant petrel tissues.

Tiemannite (HgSe) is considered the end-product of methylmercury (MeHg) demethylation in vertebrates. The biomineralization of HgSe nanoparticles (NPs) is understood to be an efficient MeHg detoxification mechanism; however, the process has not yet been fully elucidated. In order to contribute to the understanding of complex Hg metabolism and HgSe NPs formation, the Hg isotopic signatures of 40 samples of 11 giant petrels were measured.

Specificity and Origin of the Stability of the Sr Isotopic Ratio in Champagne Wines.

The Sr/Sr ratio of 39 Champagnes from six different brands, originating from the whole "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" (AOC) Champagne was analyzed to establish a possible relation with the geographical origin. Musts (i.e.

Analytical strategies for Sr and Pb isotopic signatures by MC-ICP-MS applied to the authentication of Champagne and other sparkling wines.

Wine is one of the most counterfeit product and therefore, requires certifying of its origin and provenance. For authentication purposes, analytical strategies for the determination of Sr and Pb isotopic ratios were adapted for Champagne and sparkling wines. All analytical steps have been carefully adapted and optimized regarding sample preparation, mineralization, and purification by resins as well as isotopic composition measurements on 3 different MC ICP-MS instruments.

Hg isotopic composition of one-year-old spruce shoots: Application to long-term Hg atmospheric monitoring in Germany.

The Hg isotopic composition of 1-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies) shoots collected from Saarland cornurbation Warndt, Germany, since 1985 by the German Environmental Specimen Bank, were measured for a better understanding of the temporal trends of Hg sources. The isotopic data showed that Hg was mainly taken up as gaseous element mercury (GEM) and underwent oxidation in the spruce needles; this led to a significant decrease in the δHg compared with the atmospheric Hg isotopic composition observed for deciduous leaves and epiphytic lichens. Observation of the odd mass-independent isotopic fractionation (MIF) indicated that ΔHg and ΔHg were close to but slightly lower than the actual values recorded from the atmospheric measurement of the GEM isotopic composition in non-contaminated sites in U.

Contamination levels and habitat use influence Hg accumulation and stable isotope ratios in the European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax.

Hg accumulation in marine organisms depends strongly on in situ water or sediment biogeochemistry and levels of Hg pollution. To predict the rates of Hg exposure in human communities, it is important to understand Hg assimilation and processing within commercially harvested marine fish, like the European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax. Previously, values of ΔHg and δHg in muscle tissue successfully discriminated between seven populations of European seabass.

Hg isotopic composition and total Hg mass fraction in NIES Certified Reference Material No. 28 Urban Aerosols.

An interlaboratory study on the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) certified reference material (CRM) No. 28 Urban Aerosols, collected on the filters of a central ventilating system in a building in Beijing city center, was performed to obtain informative values of Hg isotopic composition and total Hg (THg) mass fraction. The THg mass fraction was determined by four organizations using atomic absorption spectrometry; it resulted in the mean value of 1.

Tin and mercury and their speciation (organotin compounds and methylmercury) in worldwide red wine samples determined by ICP-MS and GC-ICP-MS.

One hundred and twenty-two red wines were analysed for their total tin, total mercury and speciation concentrations. Total Sn and Hg concentrations were in average 4.4 ± 7.

Potential of lead elemental and isotopic signatures for authenticity and geographical origin of Bordeaux wines.

Lead concentrations and lead isotope ratios of 43 authentic Bordeaux wines from prestigious châteaux and 14 suspicious Bordeaux origin were determined to evaluate their potential for authenticity and geographical origin assessment. Results have shown that the total Pb concentrations in Bordeaux wines drastically decreased over the previous 50 years with a clear shift of isotopic signatures towards geogenic values corresponding to an overall trend of European environmental lead monitoring. The Pb isotopic ratios determined in both series of samples clearly demonstrated that suspicious Bordeaux wines displayed Pb isotopic signatures statistically distinctive from those obtained for authentic wines.

Strontium elemental and isotopic signatures of Bordeaux wines for authenticity and geographical origin assessment.

The Sr/Sr ratio and Sr concentrations of 43 authentic Bordeaux wines from the world's most prestigious châteaux are presented in the context of their relation to the geographical origin of wine and authenticity. The results demonstrate relatively narrow spans of variabilities observed for Sr/Sr ratio and Sr concentrations in authentic Bordeaux wines, which can be used with reasonable certainty as specific parameters for identifying regional wineries. For comparison, a set of imitated Bordeaux wines was studied for Sr isotopic and elemental compositions.

Assessment of Hg contamination by a Chlor-Alkali Plant in riverine and coastal sites combining Hg speciation and isotopic signature (Sagua la Grande River, Cuba).

Chlor-alkali plants (CAP) are recognized as major sources of mercury (Hg) in the environment. In this work, Hg concentration, speciation and isotopic signature were determined in sediments and biota (fish and oyster) from Sagua La Grande River (SG River) and the adjacent coastal zone in the vicinity of a CAP (Cuba). High Hg concentrations in surface sediments (up to 5072 ng g), mainly occurring as inorganic Hg, decrease with the distance from the CAP along the SG River and seaward.

Multi-element isotopic signature (C, N, Pb, Hg) in epiphytic lichens to discriminate atmospheric contamination as a function of land-use characteristics (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, SW France).

Multi-elemental isotopic approach associated with a land-use characteristic sampling strategy may be relevant for conducting biomonitoring studies to determine the spatial extent of atmospheric contamination sources. In this work, we investigated how the combined isotopic signatures in epiphytic lichens of two major metallic pollutants, lead (Pb/Pb) and mercury (δHg, ΔHg), together with the isotopic composition of nitrogen and carbon (δN, δC), can be used to better constrain atmospheric contamination inputs. To this end, an intensive and integrated sampling strategy based on land-use characteristics (Geographic information system, GIS) over a meso-scale area (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, SW France) was applied to more than 90 sampling stations.

Mercury Isotopic Fractionation during Pedogenesis in a Tropical Forest Soil Catena (French Guiana): Deciphering the Impact of Historical Gold Mining.

We used natural mercury (Hg) stable isotopes to investigate the Hg cycle in a rainforest soil catena (French Guiana) partially gold-mined during the early 1950s. Litterfall showed homogeneous ΔHg values [-0.18 ± 0.

Total As and As speciation from worldwide collected red wine samples.

Total As and As speciation were measured in 147 red wines collected worldwide by ICP-MS and HPLC-ICP-MS, respectively. The samples included mid-priced to prestigious wines with vintages covering a period of almost 50 years. Total As concentration ranged from below 0.

Origins and discrimination between local and regional atmospheric pollution in Haiphong (Vietnam), based on metal(loid) concentrations and lead isotopic ratios in PM.

Southeast Asia is a hotspot of anthropogenic emissions where episodes of recurrent and prolonged atmospheric pollution can lead to the formation of large haze events, giving rise to wide plumes which spread over adjacent oceans and neighbouring countries. Trace metal concentrations and Pb isotopic ratios in atmospheric particulate matter < 10 μm (PM) were used to track the origins and the transport pathways of atmospheric pollutants. This approach was used for fortnightly PM collections over a complete annual cycle in Haiphong, northern Vietnam.

Hg Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis at Ultratrace Levels Using an on Line Gas Chromatographic Preconcentration and Separation Strategy Coupled to Multicollector-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry.

Stable Hg isotope analyses are nowadays widely employed to discriminate Hg sources and understand its biogeochemical cycle. Until now, total Hg isotopic compositions have been mainly used but Hg compound-specific isotopic analysis (CSIA) methodologies are emerging. Online Hg-CSIA were limited to samples containing high concentrations, but in this work we overcome this limitation for the measurement of inorganic (IHg) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) by gas chromatography hyphenated to multicollector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC/MC-ICPMS) through the use of an automated online preconcentration strategy, allowing injection volumes up to 100 times larger than usual.

Seabird Tissues As Efficient Biomonitoring Tools for Hg Isotopic Investigations: Implications of Using Blood and Feathers from Chicks and Adults.

Blood and feathers are the two most targeted avian tissues for environmental biomonitoring studies, with mercury (Hg) concentration in blood and body feathers reflecting short and long-term Hg exposure, respectively. In this work, we investigated how Hg isotopic composition (e.g.

Sr/Sr isotope ratio and multielemental signatures as indicators of origin of European cured hams: The role of salt.

We have examined the potential of discriminant inorganic constituents (trace-, ultra-trace elements and Sr isotope ratios) to assess the origin of world famous brands of European dry-cured hams. The variation of the multielemental composition with principal component analysis allowed to discriminate the origin of Bayonne hams. Determined ratio Sr/Sr was recognized as a strong additional distinctive parameter.

Mercury Stable Isotopes Discriminate Different Populations of European Seabass and Trace Potential Hg Sources around Europe.

Our study reports the first data on mercury (Hg) isotope composition in marine European fish, for seven distinct populations of the European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax. The use of δHg and ΔHg values in SIBER enabled us to estimate Hg isotopic niches, successfully discriminating several populations. Recursive-partitioning analyses demonstrated the relevance of Hg stable isotopes as discriminating tools.

Improving Precision and Accuracy of Isotope Ratios from Short Transient Laser Ablation-Multicollector-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Signals: Application to Micrometer-Size Uranium Particles.

The isotope drift encountered on short transient signals measured by multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) is related to differences in detector time responses. Faraday to Faraday and Faraday to ion counter time lags were determined and corrected using VBA data processing based on the synchronization of the isotope signals. The coefficient of determination of the linear fit between the two isotopes was selected as the best criterion to obtain accurate detector time lag.