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Updated: Jul 5, 2025

Sampling and Pretreatment of Tooth Enamel Carbonate for Stable Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Analysis
Published on: August 15, 2018
Stable isotopes in the shell organic matrix for (paleo)environmental reconstructions
Dragana Paleček1, Stefania Milano2, Igor Gutiérrez-Zugasti3
1Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy. dragana.palecek3@unibo.it.
Mollusc shell organic matter, specifically hydrogen and oxygen isotopes, shows potential as a new paleoclimate proxy. These isotopes offer novel insights into past environmental conditions beyond traditional carbonate analysis.
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Paleoclimatology
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Mollusc shell carbonates are established paleoclimate proxies.
- The organic matrix of shells is underutilized in paleoclimatic studies.
- Hydrogen (δ²H) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) isotopes in organics may offer new environmental insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of mollusc shell organic matrix stable isotopes (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) as paleoenvironmental proxies.
- To compare isotopic signatures of soluble and insoluble organic fractions with environmental water.
- To assess the influence of environmental gradients on shell organic isotope compositions.
Main Methods:
- Extraction of acid-soluble and insoluble organic fractions from Mytilus galloprovincialis shells.
- Measurement of hydrogen (δ²H) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) isotope compositions.
- Analysis of samples from three sites along a coast-to-upper-estuary gradient.
Main Results:
- Both organic fractions exhibited distinct isotopic signatures compared to carbonate and water.
- The soluble fraction displayed gradual isotopic changes along the environmental gradient.
- The insoluble fraction showed δ²H-δ¹⁸O correlations similar to meteoric water lines.
Conclusions:
- The stable isotope composition of the mollusc shell organic matrix holds significant potential as a novel paleoclimate proxy.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the fractionation mechanisms involved.
- This study opens new avenues for reconstructing past environmental conditions using shell organics.
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