The biogeochemical cycling of metals in natural systems is often accompanied by stable isotope fractionation which can now be measured due to recent analytical advances. In consequence, a new research field has emerged over the last two decades, complementing the traditional stable isotope systems (H, C, O, N, S) with many more elements across the periodic table (Li, B, Mg, Si, Cl, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ge, Se, Br, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te, Ba, W, Pt, Hg, Tl, U) which are being explored and potentially applicable as novel geochemical tracers. This review presents the application of metal stable isotopes as source and process tracers in environmental studies, in particular by using mixing and Rayleigh model approaches. The most important concepts of mass-dependent and mass-independent metal stable isotope fractionation are introduced, and the extent of natural isotopic variations for different elements is compared. A particular focus lies on a discussion of processes (redox transformations, complexation, sorption, precipitation, dissolution, evaporation, diffusion, biological cycling) which are able to induce metal stable isotope fractionation in environmental systems. Additionally, the usefulness and limitations of metal stable isotope signatures as tracers in environmental geochemistry are discussed and future perspectives presented.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/es504683e

Metal Stable Isotope Signatures as Tracers in Environmental Geochemistry

/pdf/the-challenges-and-opportunities-of-addressing-particle-size-1avnc6lh3q.pdf

The challenges and opportunities of addressing particle size effects in sediment source fingerprinting: a review.

The way forward: Can connectivity be useful to design better measuring and modelling schemes for water and sediment dynamics?

/pdf/fingerprinting-and-tracing-the-sources-of-soils-and-1fwq7sh2p1.pdf

Fingerprinting and tracing the sources of soils and sediments: Earth and ocean science, geoarchaeological, forensic, and human health applications

Source identification, geochemical normalization and influence factors of heavy metals in Yangtze River Estuary sediment.

/pdf/fallout-210pb-as-a-soil-and-sediment-tracer-in-catchment-5comp859b5.pdf

S. Tarján

Papers

Fallout 210Pb as a soil and sediment tracer in catchment sediment budget investigations: A review