Barium in planktonic foraminifera

Journal Article · Thu Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1991 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(91)90491-M· OSTI ID:5171720

Lea, D W; Boyle, E A ^[1]

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1. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (United States)

Reconstructions of Ba distributions in ancient oceanic surface waters could provide new insight into paleoceanographic change. Calcite shells of planktonic foraminifera potentially provide a means of reconstructing such paleo-Ba distributions if lattice-bound Ba can be determined on shells recovered from deep-sea cores. Planktonic foraminifera shells from a series of cores were purified of non-lattice-bound Ba associated with organic or sedimentary phases by a combination of physical agitation, oxidative-reductive steps, acid leaches, and a novel alkaline-DTPA step to dissolve barite. A sequential dissolution of a large sample of cleaned shells of the planktonic foraminifer Globigerinoides conglobatus indicates homogeneous distribution of Ba in the shell material. Comparison of shells from sediments, sediment traps, and plankton tows indicates no significant differences in the Ba content of the purified shells. Variation in foraminiferal Ba contents between the Pacific, Atlantic, and Mediterranean Sea is consistent with the trend in surface seawater Ba. The calculated distribution coefficient for Ba incorporation in five species based on these data is 0.19 {plus minus} 0.05. Several species of the non-spinose planktonic foraminifera Globorotalia have Ba/Ca ratios ranging from 2 to 13 {mu}mol; these high Ba contents might be explained by differences in the way these foraminifera precipitate their shells. A temporal record of Ba/Ca in samples of Globigerinoides and Orbulina from a core in the northwest Atlantic suggests that the Ba concentration of surface waters at this site has not changed by more than 20% over the last 14 kyr.

• OSTI ID: 5171720
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States) Vol. 55:11; ISSN GCACA; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
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ELEMENTS
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