Review of the analysis of 234Th in small volume (2–4 L) seawater samples: Improvements and recommendations

Authors

Samantha J. Clevenger
Claudia R. Benitez-Nelson
Jessica Drysdale
Steven Pike
Viena Puigcorbé, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Ken O. Buesseler

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Volume

329

Issue

1

Publisher

Springer

School

School of Science / Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research

RAS ID

36349

Funders

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's Ocean Twilight Zone

Comments

Clevenger, S. J., Benitez-Nelson, C. R., Drysdale, J., Pike, S., Puigcorbé, V., & Buesseler, K. O. (2021). Review of the analysis of 234Th in small volume (2–4 L) seawater samples: Improvements and recommendations. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 329(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07772-2

Abstract

The short-lived radionuclide 234Th is widely used to study particle scavenging and transport from the upper ocean to deeper waters. This manuscript optimizes, reviews and validates the collection, processing and analyses of total 234Th in seawater and suggests areas of further improvements. The standard 234Th protocol method consists of scavenging 234Th from seawater via a MnO2 precipitate, beta counting, and using chemical recoveries determined by adding 230Th. The revised protocol decreases sample volumes to 2 L, shortens wait times between steps, and simplifies the chemical recovery process, expanding the ability to more rapidly and safely apply the 234Th method.

DOI

10.1007/s10967-021-07772-2

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.