Boron isotopes as pH proxy : a new look at boron speciation in deep-sea corals using B-11 MAS NMR and EELs

• Published in: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
• Main Authors: Rollion-Bard, C., Blamart, D., Trebosc, J., Tricot, G., Mussi, A., Cuif, J.P.
• Other Authors: Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques (CRPG), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement Gif-sur-Yvette (LSCE), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Paléocéanographie (PALEOCEAN), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide - UMR 8181 (UCCS), Centrale Lille Institut (CLIL)-Université d'Artois (UA)-Centrale Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC)-Université de Lille, Interactions et dynamique des environnements de surface (IDES), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2011
• Subjects: [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences; Lophelia pertusa
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00595369; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2010.11.023

International audience Dissolved boron in modern seawater occurs in the form of two species, trigonal boric acid B(OH)(3) and tetrahedral borate ion B(OH)(4)(-). One of the key assumption in the use of boron isotopic compositions of carbonates as pH proxy is that only borate ions, B(OH)(4)(-), are incorporated into the carbonate. Here, we investigate the speciation of boron in deep-sea coral microstructures (Lophelia pertusa specimen) by using high field magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (B-11 MAS NMR) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). We observe both boron coordination species, but in different proportions depending on the coral microstructure, i.e. centres of calcification versus fibres. These results suggest that careful sampling is necessary before performing boron isotopic measurements in deep-sea corals. By combining the proportions of B(OH)(3) and B(OH)(4)(-) determined by NMR and our previous ion microprobe boron isotope measurements, we propose a new equation for the relation between seawater pH and boron isotopic composition in deep-sea corals. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.