Purpose-built continuous leaching module for time-resolved mineral phase analysis

要求提供资金，以购置仪器，通过允许样品逐渐溶解和对流出物进行连续分析，为微化石和碳酸盐矿物的分析提供一种替代方法。这种溶解技术（流动时间分辨分析，FT-TRA）的主要优点是能够在溶解实验过程中区分不同的矿物相。在提案中提出了FT-TRA技术的两个初始应用，说明了所提议仪器的应用多样性。(1)海洋微化石中的元素比可作为过去环境条件的代表。在批量溶解的微化石中测量元素比例的一个重要问题是，海底的部分溶解、方解石的过度生长和各种矿物相的污染掩盖了记录目标信息的生物成因方解石的元素比例。所提出的仪器允许在微化石缓慢溶解和流出物连续分析时连续监测元素比率。结果表明，生物成因方解石的元素组成可以清晰地分离出来。(2)一些矿山废弃物捕获温室气体二氧化碳，从而提供环境效益。然而，这种好处只有在捕获的碳来自大气的情况下才能实现。所要求的仪器能够确定结合二氧化碳的来源，从而评估碳固定的净温室气体效益。

Funding is requested to acquire instrumentation that provides an alternative to conventional batch dissolution for the analysis of microfossils and carbonate minerals by allowing for the gradual dissolution of samples and continuous analysis of the effluent. The key benefit of this dissolution technique (flow-through time-resolved analysis, FT-TRA) is the ability to differentiate between different mineral phases over the course of a dissolution experiment. Two initial applications of the FT-TRA technique are put forward in the proposal, illustrating the diversity of applications for the proposed instrumentation. (1) Elemental ratios in marine microfossils are used as a proxy for past environmental conditions. A significant problem associated with elemental ratios measured in batch-dissolved microfossils is that partial dissolution on the seafloor, calcite overgrowth, and contamination by various mineral phases obscure the elemental ratios of the biogenic calcite that record the targeted information. The proposed instrumentation allow for continuous monitoring of the elemental ratios as the microfossils are slowly dissolved and the effluent continuously analyzed. As a result, the elemental composition from the biogenic calcite can be clearly isolated. (2) Some mine wastes trap the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, thus providing an environmental benefit. However, this benefit is only realized if the trapped carbon is derived from the atmosphere. The requested instrumentation enables the fingerprinting of the origin of bound carbon dioxide, thus assessing the net greenhouse gas benefit of carbon fixation.