Collaborative Research: GEOTRACES: Intercalibration exercise for Radium Isotopes in seawater

来自南卡罗来纳大学和伍兹霍尔海洋研究所的研究人员提议参加2008年大西洋GEOTRACES内部校准巡航，以收集226Ra、228Ra、224Ra和223Ra的样本。从河口、开阔大洋站、墨西哥湾流站和内陆架站复制的样品将被收集并分发到世界各地多达22个实验室，用于使用辐射测量技术、热电离质谱或电感耦合等离子体质谱分析上述镭同位素。224Ra和223Ra的初步测量将在海上对一组选定的样品进行。此外，科学家们计划测试流速对二氧化锰涂层纤维从海水中回收Rb、Th和Ac的影响，并将这些结果与一些新的提取介质(即锰珠、锰涂层墨盒)进行比较。至于更广泛的影响，这种相互校准活动的结果将为科学界提供必要的方案，以准确和精确地测量可以比较/对比的镭同位素，无论数据是由哪个实验室产生的。南卡罗来纳大学的一名本科生将作为该项目的一部分得到支持和培训。

Investigators from the University of South Carolina and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution propose to participate in the 2008 Atlantic Ocean GEOTRACES intercalibration cruise to collect samples for 226Ra, 228Ra, 224Ra, and 223Ra. Replicate samples from an estuary, an open ocean station, a Gulf Stream station, and an inner shelf station would be collected and distributed to as many as 22 laboratories around the world to be analyzed for the above mentioned radium isotopes using either radiometric techniques, thermal ionization mass spectrometry, or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Initial measurements of 224Ra and 223Ra would be made at sea on a selected set of samples. Also, the scientists plan to test the effect of flow rate on the recovery of radium, thorium, and actinium from seawater on manganese dioxide coated fibers, as well as compare these results with some novel extraction media (i.e., Mn beads, Mn-coated cartridges).As regards broader impacts, results from this intercalibration activity would provide the science community with the necessary protocols to accurately and precisely measure radium isotopes that can be compared/contrasted regardless of which laboratory generated the data. One undergraduate student from the University of South Carolina would be supported and trained as part of this project.