Acquisition of a gas bench for stable isotopic analysis of carbonates and water

碳酸盐矿物是许多自然系统的组成部分，包括石油储层、沉积盆地、岩浆岩和盐湖。 耳石是鱼的耳朵，也是由碳酸钙组成的。 这些碳酸盐矿物可以保存丰富的流体-固体相互作用记录，可以用来帮助我们了解许多地质过程，包括砂岩储层中的油气聚集，古气候，碳酸岩岩浆和流体的生成和化学演化，以及评估不同纬度的淡水和咸水鱼类的迁移行为。 然而，这些信息的恢复需要能够以低于每密耳的精度执行高精度碳（C）和氧（O）同位素分析。 该RTI提案要求为碳酸盐和沃茨的碳和氧同位素分析的天然气工作台系统提供资金。气体工作台是用于碳酸盐矿物（例如，方解石、白云石、菱镁矿、菱铁矿和铁白云石）和气体、流体中的溶解无机碳（DIC），并且能够从水中汽提和分析O。 它是碳酸盐矿物和沃茨的准确和精确同位素表征的首选方法，可以快速（96个样品/12小时）分析更小的样品（µg vs. mg）。 在该RTI提案下资助的仪器将用于培训学生用户和外部合作者掌握最先进的技术，以进行碳酸盐矿物的C和O稳定同位素分析。 这项研究将有助于完善古气候模型，提高我们对全球变暖的理解，并提供可用于有效勘探石油的技术，这将使加拿大和私营部门受益。

Carbonate minerals are an integral part of many natural systems including petroleum reservoirs, sedimentary basins, magmatic rocks, and salt lakes.  Otoliths, which are fish ears, are also made up of calcium carbonate.  These carbonate minerals can preserve a rich record of fluid-solid interaction that may be exploited to aid our efforts to understand many geological processes including hydrocarbon accumulation in sandstone reservoirs, paleoclimates, generation and chemical evolution of carbonatitic magmas and fluids, and assess migratory behavior of fresh and salt water fish from different latitudes.  However, recovery of this information requires the capability to perform high precision carbon (C) and oxygen (O) isotopic analyses with sub-per mil accuracy.  This RTI proposal requests funds for a gas bench system for C and O isotopic analyses of carbonates and waters. The gas bench is a versatile device used for automated acid digestion and C and O isotopic analysis of carbonate minerals (e.g., calcite, dolomite, magnesite, siderite, and ankerite) and gases, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in fluids, and is capable of stripping and analyzing O from water.  It is the method of choice for accurate and precise isotopic characterization of carbonate minerals and waters that can rapidly (96 samples/12 hours) analyze much smaller samples (µg vs. mg).  The instruments funded under this RTI proposal will be used to train student users and external collaborators in state-of-the-art techniques for making C and O stable isotope analyses of carbonate minerals.  This research will help refine paleoclimatic models, improve our understanding of global warming and provide techniques that can be used to effectively explore for petroleum, which will benefit Canada and the private sector.