Chemical analysis of trace elements in biogenic carbonates: development of a novel proxy for paleoclimatology

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The novel analytical techniques which chemically distinguish the trace elements in biogenic carbonate have been developed as a new proxy for paleoclimatology. X-ray photoabsorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a nondestructive analytical technique for characterizing and identifying trace elements in compositionally complex natural materials. Furthermore, the combination of XAS and X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) using a micro-focused X-ray beam allow determination of both the chemical state of environmentally important trace elements and their spatial distribution in biogenic carbonates. A series of XRF/XAS mapping analyses clarified that the spatial distributions of sulfur compounds in Japanese pink coral (C. elatius) was strongly dependent on their chemical forms. The present research demonstrates that speciation analysis contributes to a more precise understanding of trace elements in biogenic carbonates as a proxy for paleoclimatology.