scholarly journals Oxygen isotopic fractionation in rat bones as a result of consuming thermally processed water – bioarchaeological applications

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Lisowska-Gaczorek ◽  
Krzysztof Szostek ◽  
Jacek Pawlyta ◽  
Beata Cienkosz-Stepańczak

AbstractStable isotope analyses of oxygen are used in anthropology for such purposes as determination of origin of individuals, tracking migration routes or dynamics of human community relocation. The methodology related to oxygen isotope analysis has been founded on the relationship between its isotopic composition within phosphate groups of bone tissue (δ18Op) in individuals being analysed and the water consumed by such individuals (δ18Ow). Such a relationship has been observed in many species of mammals, including humans. However, the influence of culinary practices on the isotopic delta values of apatite phosphates of individuals has not yet been researched. The present study, which was conducted using laboratory rats, is an investigation of the influence of the thermal processing of water drank by such rats on the isotopic composition (δ18Op) of bone apatite. Increasing the value of the isotopic composition of water by about 6.1 ‰ during boiling resulted in an increase in the oxygen isotopic value δ18Op of rats drinking the water by about 4 ‰ (29%). It can be expected that regular consumption of heavily isotopic drinks and foods by humans may cause the δ18Op of individuals to exceed the range of isotopic environmental variability, even by a few per mille.

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 159-159
Author(s):  
A. Balcaen ◽  
E. Claeys ◽  
V. Fievez ◽  
P. Boeckx ◽  
O. van Cleemput ◽  
...  

Stable isotopes have been extraordinarily helpful in understanding animal migration, diet, food webs and nutrient flow (Hilderbrand et al., 1996), based on the property that C3 and C4 plants possess distinctly different 13C/12C ratios (δ13C value) due to isotopic fractionation during photosynthetic carbon fixation (Smith & Epstein, 1971). Most woody species and temperate graminoids assimilate carbon via the Calvin cycle (C3), which discriminates stronger against the heavier isotope (13C) than Hatch-Slack (C4) species (tropical and subtropical graminoids and some shrubs). C3 and C4 plant species have mean δ13C values of -27 ‰ and -13 ‰ respectively (O’Leary, 1981). DeNiro & Epstein (1978) were one of the first to show that the isotopic composition of the whole animal body is similar to that of its diet. Other authors have also found relationships between the isotopic composition of animal tissues and the diet (González-Martin et al., 1999; Jones et al., 1979). The aim of this study was to investigate stable carbon isotope composition in sheep fed diets consisting of either C3 or C3+C4 plants.


1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 221 ◽  
Author(s):  
LB Flanagan ◽  
SL Phillips ◽  
JR Ehleringer ◽  
J Lloyd ◽  
GD Farquhar

Photosynthetic gas exchange measurements were combined with measurements of the carbon and oxygen stable isotopic composition of CO2 after it passed over a leaf of Phaseolus vulgaris or Senecio spp. plants held in a controlled environment chamber. Calculations were then made of discrimination by the leaf against 13CO2 and C18O16O. Leaves were maintained at different vapour pressure gradients in order to generate a range of leaf water 18CO/16CO ratios. The 18CO content of leaf water increased when plants were exposed to higher vapour pressure deficits. The observed C18O16O discrimination values also increased with an increase in the leaf-air vapour pressure gradient and the associated change in leaf water 18/CO16CO values. In addition, the observed C18O16O discrimination values were strongly correlated with values predicted by a mechanistic model of isotopic fractionation.


2002 ◽  
Vol 74 (19) ◽  
pp. 4989-4993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg Michalski ◽  
Joel Savarino ◽  
J. K. Böhlke ◽  
Mark Thiemens

1994 ◽  
Vol 66 (14) ◽  
pp. 2409-2411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter E. Sauer ◽  
Leonel d. S. L. O. Sternberg

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ola Kwiecien ◽  
Jeremy McCormack

<p>Lakes are sensitive to climate change and their sedimentary components play a pivotal role as environmental recorders. In the past, lacustrine carbonates have been utilized in a number of studies attempting at a quantitative reconstruction of rainfall and/or precipitation-evaporation changes based on the biogenic or bulk carbonate δ<sup>18</sup>O signature. While these studies are built on sound theoretical grounds of mass balance and kinetic isotopic fractionation, the challenge often overlooked is the mineralogically mixed nature of carbonates comprising the bulk.</p><p>We report a case study from Lake Van, the world’s largest alkaline lake. Our time series comprising ca. 140 ka documents not only changing proportions of surface water calcite and aragonite, but also diagenetic bottom-water dolomite and, for the first time in Lake Van, early diagenetic bottom-water aragonite. Importantly, in the Lake Van profile primary and early diagenetic carbonates (in particular aragonite) are concurrent rather than mutually exclusive. A comprehensive comparison of the δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>13</sup>C compositions of singled out water column, biogenic (ostracod valves) and diagenetic carbonates shows, that each of the fractions forms a distinctive cluster characteristic for the depth and timing of their formation. Also, the differences between δ<sup>18</sup>O values of concurrent deep-water carbonate phases exceed what is expected from mineral-specific fractionation. Our data suggest that, an uncritical and unchecked application of the isotopic composition of the bulk carbonate fraction in quantitative climate reconstructions can severely compromise the results. We also advocate that, among different carbonate fractions in Lake Van, monospecific biogenic samples most faithfully reflect the oxygen isotopic composition of the lake water contemporaneous to their deposition, while the carbon composition of biogenic samples is additionally influenced by the organism microhabitat.</p>


2001 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 1253-1260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathanael C Overman ◽  
Donna L Parrish

Stable nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios were measured for walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) collected across Lake Champlain, Vermont, to determine relationships between isotopic composition and diet, location of capture, length, weight, and age. Variation in δ13C values reflected area-specific differences in isotopic composition of organisms collected across the lake. A critical assumption in the application of isotope techniques is that a predictable relationship exists between the diet and isotopic composition of an organism. Our results indicate that isotopic fractionation factors may not be independent of age as has largely been assumed. By combining stable nitrogen and carbon isotope analysis with conventional stomach content analysis, we documented significant age effects in the δ15N composition of adult walleye that were not attributable to observed changes in diet. Age accounted for 81% of the variation in δ15N values of walleye (ages 2–27, N = 65, δ15N range = 15.3–19.2‰), providing evidence supporting 15N accumulation over the life span of walleye. Therefore, the risk of making faulty inferences of trophic position and food web interactions based on δ15N values may be increased when age is unknown. Our results indicate that metabolic effects associated with age require greater consideration in applications of stable isotope analysis.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Donard ◽  
F. Pointurier ◽  
A.-C. Pottin ◽  
A. Hubert ◽  
C. Pécheyran

In this article, performance of the coupling of a UV-fs-LA system with a high sensitivity ICP-MS for isotope analysis of individual micrometric uranium particles, including minor isotopes 234U and 236U, is discussed.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document