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PreprintConstraining the sources and cycling of dissolved organic carbon in a large oligotrophic lake using radiocarbon analyses( 2017-03) Zigah, Prosper ; Minor, Elizabeth C. ; McNichol, Ann P. ; Xu, Li ; Werne, Josef P.We measured the concentrations and isotopic compositions of solid phase extracted (SPE) dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and high molecular weight (HMW) DOC and their constituent organic components in order to better constrain the sources and cycling of DOC in a large oligotrophic lacustrine system (Lake Superior, North America). SPE DOC constituted a significant proportion (41-71 %) of the lake DOC relative to HMW DOC (10-13%). Substantial contribution of 14C-depleted components to both SPE DOC (Δ14C = 25 to 43‰) and HMW DOC (Δ14C = 22 to 32‰) was evident during spring mixing, and depressed their radiocarbon values relative to the lake dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC; Δ14C ~ 59‰). There was preferential removal of 14C-depleted (older) and thermally recalcitrant components from HMW DOC and SPE DOC in the summer. Contemporary photoautotrophic addition to HMW DOC was observed during summer stratification in contrast to SPE DOC, which decreased in concentration during stratification. Serial thermal oxidation radiocarbon analysis revealed a diversity of sources (both contemporary and older) within the SPE DOC, and also showed distinct components within the HMW DOC. The thermally labile components of HMW DOC were 14C-enriched and are attributed to heteropolysaccharides (HPS), peptides/amide and amino sugars (AMS) relative to the thermally recalcitrant components reflecting the presence of older material, perhaps carboxylic-rich alicyclic molecules (CRAM). The solvent extractable lipid-like fraction of HMW DOC was very 14C-depleted (as old as 1270-2320 14C years) relative to the carbohydrate-like and protein-like substances isolated by acid hydrolysis of HMW DOC. Our data constrain relative influences of contemporary DOC and old DOC, and DOC cycling in a modern freshwater ecosystem.
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ArticleSignificance of perylene for source allocation of terrigenous organic matter in aquatic sediments.(American Chemical Society, 2019-06-19) Hanke, Ulrich ; Lima-Braun, Ana L. ; Eglinton, Timothy I. ; Donnelly, Jeffrey P. ; Galy, Valier ; Poussart, Pascale F. ; Hughen, Konrad A. ; McNichol, Ann P. ; Xu, Li ; Reddy, Christopher M.Perylene is a frequently abundant, and sometimes the only polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in aquatic sediments, but its origin has been subject of a longstanding debate in geochemical research and pollutant forensics because its historical record differs markedly from typical anthropogenic PAHs. Here we investigate whether perylene serves as a source-specific molecular marker of fungal activity in forest soils. We use a well-characterized sedimentary record (1735 to 1999) from the anoxic-bottom waters of the Pettaquamscutt River basin, RI, USA to examine mass accumulation rates and isotope records of perylene, and compare them with total organic carbon and the anthropogenic PAH fluoranthene. We support our arguments with radiocarbon (14C) data of higher plant leaf-wax n-alkanoic acids. Isotope-mass balance calculations of perylene and n-alkanoic acids indicate that ~40 % of sedimentary organic matter is of terrestrial origin. Further, both terrestrial markers are pre-aged on millennial time-scales prior to burial in sediments and insensitive to elevated 14C concentrations following nuclear weapons testing in the mid-20th Century. Instead, changes coincide with enhanced erosional flux during urban sprawl. These findings suggest that perylene is definitely a product of soil derived fungi, and a powerful chemical tracer to study spatial and temporal connectivity between terrestrial and aquatic environments.
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ArticleCoastal New England pilot study to determine fossil and biogenic formaldehyde source contributions using radiocarbon(American Geophysical Union, 2010-05-18) Shen, Haiwei ; Heikes, Brian G. ; Merrill, John T. ; McNichol, Ann P. ; Xu, LiCompound specific radiocarbon analyses of atmospheric formaldehyde are reported as fraction modern (Fm) for a limited number of winter and summer air samples collected in coastal southern New England in 2007. The 11 of 13 samples with Fm < 0.2 were collected under the influence of the semipermanent Bermuda high-pressure system with transport from the Washington, D. C., to New York City urban corridor. The two samples with Fm > 0.2 (max ∼ 0.35) were collected on days with strong northwesterly flow and the least urban impact. The Fm data were combined with VOC observations from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, estimates of oxygenated VOC (OVOC), and back trajectories to interpret the relative contributions of biogenic and fossil carbon sources. It is argued that CH2O sources were dominated by pollutant VOCs and OVOCs from upwind coastal cities as opposed to more local biogenic VOCs at the times of sample collection.
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ArticleRadiocarbon dating of alkenones from marine sediments : I. Isolation protocol(Dept. of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 2005) Ohkouchi, Naohiko ; Xu, Li ; Reddy, Christopher M. ; Montlucon, Daniel B. ; Eglinton, Timothy I.The chemical and isotopic compositions of long-chain (C36–C39) unsaturated ketones (alkenones), a unique class of algal lipids, encode surface ocean properties useful for paleoceanographic reconstruction. Recently, we have sought to extend the utility of alkenones as oceanic tracers through measurement of their radiocarbon contents. Here, we describe a method for isolation of alkenones from sediments as a compound class based on a sequence of wet chemical techniques. The steps involved, which include silica gel column chromatography, urea adduction, and silver nitrate-silica gel column chromatography, exploit various structural attributes of the alkenones. Amounts of purified alkenones estimated by GC/FID measurements were highly correlated with CO2 yields after sample combustion, indicating purities of greater than 90% for samples containing ≥100 μg C. The degree of alkenone unsaturation ( ) also varied minimally through the procedure. We also describe a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method to isolate individual alkenones for molecular-level structural and isotopic determination.
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ArticleRadiocarbon content of dissolved organic carbon in the South Indian Ocean(John Wiley & Sons, 2018-01-24) Bercovici, Sarah K. ; McNichol, Ann P. ; Xu, Li ; Hansell, Dennis A.We report four profiles of the radiocarbon content of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) spanning the South Indian Ocean (SIO), ranging from the Polar Front (56°S) to the subtropics (29°S). Surface waters held mean DOC Δ14C values of −426 ± 6‰ (~4,400 14C years) at the Polar Front and DOC Δ14C values of −252 ± 22‰ (~2,000 14C years) in the subtropics. At depth, Circumpolar Deep Waters held DOC Δ14C values of −491 ± 13‰ (~5,400 years), while values in Indian Deep Water were more depleted, holding DOC Δ14C values of −503 ± 8‰ (~5,600 14C years). High-salinity North Atlantic Deep Water intruding into the deep SIO had a distinctly less depleted DOC Δ14C value of −481 ± 8‰ (~5,100 14C years). We use multiple linear regression to assess the dynamics of DOC Δ14C values in the deep Indian Ocean, finding that their distribution is characteristic of water masses in that region.
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ArticleCarbon dynamics in the western Arctic Ocean : insights from full-depth carbon isotope profiles of DIC, DOC, and POC(Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union, 2012-03-28) Griffith, David R. ; McNichol, Ann P. ; Xu, Li ; McLaughlin, Fiona A. ; Macdonald, Robie W. ; Brown, Kristina A. ; Eglinton, Timothy I.Arctic warming is projected to continue throughout the coming century. Yet, our currently limited understanding of the Arctic Ocean carbon cycle hinders our ability to predict how changing conditions will affect local Arctic ecosystems, regional carbon budgets, and global climate. We present here the first set of concurrent, full-depth, dual-isotope profiles for dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and suspended particulate organic carbon (POCsusp) at two sites in the Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean. The carbon isotope composition of sinking and suspended POC in the Arctic contrasts strongly with open ocean Atlantic and Pacific sites, pointing to a combination of inputs to Arctic POCsusp at depth, including surface-derived organic carbon (OC), sorbed/advected OC, and OC derived from in situ DIC fixation. The latter process appears to be particularly important at intermediate depths, where mass balance calculations suggest that OC derived from in situ DIC fixation contributes up to 22% of POCsusp. As in other oceans, surface-derived OC is still a dominant source to Arctic POCsusp. Yet, we suggest that significantly smaller vertical POC fluxes in the Canada Basin make it possible to see evidence of DIC fixation in the POCsusp pool even at the bulk isotope level.
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ArticleRadiocarbon in dissolved organic carbon by UV oxidation: an update of procedures and blank characterization at NOSAMS(Cambridge University Press, 2022-02-11) Xu, Li ; Roberts, Mark L. ; Elder, Kathryn L. ; Hansman, Roberta L. ; Gagnon, Alan R. ; Kurz, Mark D.This note describes improvements of UV oxidation method that is used to measure carbon isotopes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) at the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Facility (NOSAMS). The procedural blank is reduced to 2.6 ± 0.6 μg C, with Fm of 0.42 ± 0.10 and δ13C of –28.43 ± 1.19‰. The throughput is improved from one sample per day to two samples per day.
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ArticleAdvances in Sample Preparation at the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Facility (NOSAMS): Investigation of Carbonate Secondary Standards( 2017) Cruz, Anne J. ; Childress, Laurel B. ; Gagnon, Alan R. ; McNichol, Ann P. ; Burton, Joshua R. ; Elder, Kathryn L. ; Lardie Gaylord, Mary C. ; Gospodinova, Kalina D. ; Hlavenka, Joshua ; Kurz, Mark D. ; Longworth, Brett E. ; Roberts, Mark L. ; Trowbridge, Nan Y. ; Walther, Tess ; Xu, LiThe development of robust sample preparation techniques for ocean science research has been a hallmark of NOSAMS since its inception. Improvements to our standard methods include reducing the minimum size of the samples we can analyze, building modular graphite reactors of different sizes that we can swap in and out depending on our sample stream, and modifying our carbonate acidification methods to improve handling of the smaller samples we now receive. A relatively new instrument, the Ramped PyrOx, which allows the separation of organic matter into thermal fractions, has attracted much interest as a research and development tool. We will also discuss our progress on incorporating a Picarro isotope analyzer into our sample preparation options.
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ArticleIsotopic characterization of aerosol organic carbon components over the eastern United States(American Geophysical Union, 2012-07-04) Wozniak, Andrew S. ; Bauer, James E. ; Dickhut, Rebecca M. ; Xu, Li ; McNichol, Ann P.Carbon isotopic signatures (δ13C, Δ14C) of aerosol particulate matter total organic carbon (TOC) and operationally defined organic carbon (OC) components were measured in samples from two background sites in the eastern U.S. TOC and water-soluble OC (WSOC) δ13C values (−27 to −24‰) indicated predominantly terrestrial C3 plant and fossil derived sources. Total solvent extracts (TSE) and their aliphatic, aromatic, and polar OC components were depleted in δ13C (−30 to −26‰) relative to TOC and WSOC. Δ14C signatures of aerosol TOC and TSE (−476 to +25‰) suggest variable fossil contributions (~5–50%) to these components. Aliphatic OC while comprising a small portion of the TOC (<1%), was dominated by fossil-derived carbon (86 ± 3%), indicating its potential utility as a tracer for fossil aerosol OC inputs. In contrast, aromatic OC contributions (<1.5%) contained approximately equal portions contemporary (52 ± 8%) and fossil (48 ± 8%) OC. The quantitatively significant polar OC fraction (6–25% of TOC) had fossil contributions (30 ± 12%) similar to TOC (26 ± 7%) and TSE (28 ± 9%). Thus, much of both of the fossil and contemporary OC is deduced to be oxidized, polar material. Aerosol WSOC consistently showed low fossil content (<8%) relative to the TOC (5–50%) indicating that the majority of fossil OC in aerosol particulates is insoluble. Therefore, on the basis of solubility and polarity, aerosols are predicted to partition differently once deposited to watersheds, and these chemically distinct components are predicted to contribute in quantitatively and qualitatively different ways to watershed carbon biogeochemistry and cycling.
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ArticleC-14 Blank Corrections for 25-100 mu G samples at the National Ocean Sciences AMS Laboratory(Cambridge University Press, 2019-07-22) Roberts, Mark L. ; Elder, Kathryn L. ; Jenkins, William J. ; Gagnon, Alan R. ; Xu, Li ; Hlavenka, Joshua ; Longworth, Brett E.Replicate radiocarbon (14C) measurements of organic and inorganic control samples, with known Fraction Modern values in the range Fm = 0–1.5 and mass range 6 μg–2 mg carbon, are used to determine both the mass and radiocarbon content of the blank carbon introduced during sample processing and measurement in our laboratory. These data are used to model, separately for organic and inorganic samples, the blank contribution and subsequently “blank correct” measured unknowns in the mass range 25–100 μg. Data, formulas, and an assessment of the precision and accuracy of the blank correction are presented.
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ArticleSources and accumulation of organic carbon in the Pearl River Estuary surface sediment as indicated by elemental, stable carbon isotopic, and carbohydrate compositions(Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union, 2010-10-28) He, B. ; Dai, Minhan ; Huang, W. ; Liu, Q. ; Chen, H. ; Xu, LiOrganic matter in surface sediments from the upper reach of the Pearl River Estuary and Lingdingyang Bay, as well as the adjacent northern South China Sea shelf was characterized using a variety of techniques, including elemental (C and N) ratio, bulk stable organic carbon isotopic composition (δ13C), and carbohydrate composition analyses. Total organic carbon (TOC) content was 1.21±0.45% in the upper reach, down to 1.00±0.22% in Lingdingyang Bay and to 0.80±0.10% on the inner shelf and 0.58±0.06% on the outer shelf. δ13C values ranged from −25.1‰ to −21.3‰ in Lingdingyang Bay and the South China Sea shelf, with a trend of enrichment seawards. The spatial trend in C/N ratios mirrored that of δ13C, with a substantial decrease in C/N ratio offshore. Total carbohydrate yields ranged from 22.1 to 26.7 mg (100 mg OC)−1, and typically followed TOC concentrations in the estuarine and shelf sediments. Total neutral sugars, as detected by the nine major monosaccharides (lyxose, rhamnose, ribose, arabinose, fucose, xylose, galactose, mannose, and glucose), were between 4.0 and 18.6 mg (100 mg OC)−1 in the same sediments, suggesting that significant amounts of carbohydrates were not neutral aldoses. Using a two end-member mixing model based on δ13C values and C/N ratios, we estimated that the terrestrial organic carbon contribution to the surface sediment TOC was ca. 78±11% for Lingdingyang Bay, 34±4% for the inner shelf, and 5.5±1% for the outer shelf. The molecular composition of the carbohydrate in the surface sediments also suggested that the inner estuary was rich in terrestrially derived carbohydrates but that their contribution decreased offshore. A relatively high abundance of deoxyhexoses in the estuary and shelf indicated a considerable bacterial source of these carbohydrates, implying that sediment organic matter had undergone extensive degradation and/or transformation during transport. Sediment budget based on calculated regional accumulation rates showed that only ~50% of the influxes of terrestrial organic carbon were accumulated in the estuary. This relatively low accumulation efficiency of terrestrial organic matter as compared to the total suspended solids (accumulation efficiency ~73%) suggested significant degradation of the terrestrial organic carbon within the estuarine system after its discharge from the river. This study demonstrated that the combination of the bulk organic matter properties together with the isotopic composition and molecular-level carbohydrate compositions can be an efficient way to track down the source and fate of organic matter in highly dynamic estuarine and coastal systems. The predominance of terrestrially originated organic matter in the sediment and its generally low accumulation efficiency within the estuary is not surprising, and yet it may have important implications in light of the heavy anthropogenic discharges into the Pearl River Estuary during the past thirty years.
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Preprint14C and 13C characteristics of higher plant biomarkers in Washington margin surface sediments( 2012-11-22) Feng, Xiaojuan ; Benitez-Nelson, Bryan C. ; Montlucon, Daniel B. ; Prahl, Fredrick G. ; McNichol, Ann P. ; Xu, Li ; Repeta, Daniel J. ; Eglinton, Timothy I.Plant wax lipids and lignin phenols are the two most common classes of molecular markers that are used to trace vascular plant-derived OM in the marine environment. However, their 13C and 14C compositions have not been directly compared, which can be used to constrain the flux and attenuation of terrestrial carbon in marine environment. In this study, we describe a revised method of isolating individual lignin phenols from complex sedimentary matrices for 14C analysis using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and compare this approach to a method utilizing preparative capillary gas chromatography (PCGC). We then examine in detail the 13C and 14C compositions of plant wax lipids and lignin phenols in sediments from the inner and mid shelf of the Washington margin that are influenced by discharge of the Columbia River. Plant wax lipids (including n-alkanes, n-alkanoic (fatty) acids, n-alkanols, and n-aldehydes) displayed significant variability in both δ13C (-28.3 to -37.5 ‰) and ∆14C values (-204 to +2 ‰), suggesting varied inputs and/or continental storage and transport histories. In contrast, lignin phenols exhibited similar δ13C values (between -30 to -34 ‰) and a relatively narrow range of ∆14C values (-45 to -150 ‰; HPLC-based mesurement) that were similar to, or younger than, bulk OM (-195 to -137 ‰). Moreover, lignin phenol 14C age correlated with the degradation characteristics of this terrestrial biopolymer in that vanillyl phenols were on average ~500 years older than syringyl and cinnamyl phenols that degrade faster in soils and sediments. The isotopic characteristics, abundance, and distribution of lignin phenols in sediments suggest that they serve as promising tracers of recently biosynthesized terrestrial OM during supply to, and dispersal within the marine environment. Lignin phenol 14C measurements may also provide useful constraints on the vascular plant end member in isotopic mixing models for carbon source apportionment, and for interpretation of sedimentary records of past vegetation dynamics. Key words: 14C and 13C composition, radiocarbon age, plant wax lipids, lignin phenols, Washington margin, marine carbon cycling, terrestrial organic matter
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ArticleAllochthonous sources and dynamic cycling of ocean dissolved organic carbon revealed by carbon isotopes(John Wiley & Sons, 2017-03-07) Zigah, Prosper ; McNichol, Ann P. ; Xu, Li ; Johnson, Carl G. ; Santinelli, Chiara ; Karl, David M. ; Repeta, Daniel J.We present concentration and isotopic profiles of total, size, and polarity fractionated dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from Station ALOHA (A Long-term Oligotrophic Habitat Assessment), an oligotrophic site in the North Pacific Ocean. The data show that, between the surface and 3500 m, low molecular weight (LMW) hydrophilic DOC, LMW hydrophobic DOC, and high molecular weight (HMW) DOC constitute 22–33%, 45–52%, and 23–35% of DOC, respectively. LMW hydrophilic DOC is more isotopically depleted (δ13C of −23.9‰ to −31.5‰ and Δ14C of −304‰ to −795‰; mean age of 2850 to 15000 years) than the LMW hydrophobic DOC (δ13C of −22‰ to −23‰ and Δ14C of −270‰ to −568‰; 2470 to 6680 years) and HMW DOC (δ13C of ~−21‰ and Δ14C of −24‰ to −294‰; 135–2700 years). Our analyses suggest that a large fraction of DOC may be derived from allochthonous sources such as terrestrial and hydrothermal DOC and cycle on much longer time scales of >10000 years or enter the ocean as preaged carbon.
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ArticleCancer burden disease attributable to PM2.5 and health risk by PM2.5-bound toxic species in two urban Chilean municipalities(Taiwan Association for Aerosol Research, 2022-11-11) Li, Ye ; Muñoz-Ibañéz, Franz ; Maldonado-Alcaíno, Ana ; Jack, Darby ; Yan, Beizhan ; Xu, Li ; Acuña, Marco ; Leiva-Guzman, Manuel ; Valdés, Ana ; Cáceres, Dante D.This study aimed to estimate the environmental cancer disease burden in adults attributable to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure using Ostro's function methodology, and health risk indexes for particle-bound toxic chemicals through hazard quotients (HQ, HI) and carcinogenic risk (CR, CRI) indexes from EPA guidelines, of two urban Chilean Municipalities: Coyhaique and Independencia. Quantification of chemical species (OC, EC, metals, and PAHs) was done at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, USA. Modern carbon in OC and EC analysis showed that the principal source of PM2.5 emission in Coyhaique was firewood burning compared with Independencia. The total PAHs and B[a]P concentrations were 6.3 and 8.9 times higher in Coyhaique than in Independencia. In contrast, As and Pb levels were significantly greater in Independencia. The HI was 14.5 and 2.37 times the limit considered acceptable (HI > 1) in Coyhaique and Independencia, explained 92.45% by B[a]P and 66.99% by As, respectively. CRI exceeded the threshold (1 × 10–6) in Coyhaique and Independencia, explained by As (75.38%) plus B[a]P (20.30%) and As (97.01%). The attributable fraction (AF) of deaths due to lung cancer from long-term exposure to PM2.5 reached 54% (95% CI: 25–72) in Coyhaique vs. 43% (95% CI: 19–46) in Independencia. The AF for cardiopulmonary cancer were 40% (95% CI: 17–57) and 32% (95% CI: 12–46), respectively. A relevant fraction of the cancer cases and potential expected adverse effects would be attributable to long-term exposure to PM2.5 and the presence of chemical compounds bound to the particles. These results deserve further study to help guide policy in different environments, mainly carcinogenic PM2.5-bound toxic species from other emission sources, particularly firewood burning.
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PreprintDirect application of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis of leaf waxes to establish lacustrine sediment chronology( 2006-12-18) Uchikawa, Joji ; Popp, Brian N. ; Schoonmaker, Jane E. ; Xu, LiThis study demonstrates use of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis (CSRA) for dating Holocene lacustrine sediments from carbonate-hosted Ordy Pond, Oahu, Hawaii. Long-chain odd-numbered normal alkanes (n-alkanes), biomarkers characteristic of terrestrial higher plants, were ubiquitous in Ordy Pond sediments. The δ13C of individual n-alkanes ranged from −29.9 to −25.5‰, within the expected range for n-alkanes synthesized by land plants using the C3 or C4 carbon fixation pathway. The 14C ages of n-alkanes determined by CSRA showed remarkably good agreement with 14C dates of rare plant macrofossils obtained from nearby sedimentary horizons. In general, CSRA of n-alkanes successfully refined the age-control of the sediments. The sum of n-alkanes in each sample produced 70–170 μg of carbon (C), however, greater age errors were confirmed for samples containing less than 80 μg of C. The 14C age of n-alkanes from one particular sedimentary horizon was 4,155 years older than the value expected from the refined age-control, resulting in an apparent and arguable age discrepancy. Several lines of evidence suggest that this particular sample was contaminated by introduction of 14C-free C during preparative capillary gas chromatography. This study simultaneously highlighted the promising potential of CSRA for paleo-applications and the risks of contamination associated with micro-scale 14C measurement of individual organic compounds.
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ArticleCorrection to “Isotopic characterization of aerosol organic carbon components over the eastern United States”(American Geophysical Union, 2012-08-02) Wozniak, Andrew S. ; Bauer, James E. ; Dickhut, Rebecca M. ; Xu, Li ; McNichol, Ann P.
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ArticleEarthquake-enhanced dissolved carbon cycles in ultra-deep ocean sediments(Nature Research, 2023-09-11) Chu, Mengfan ; Bao, Rui ; Strasser, Michael ; Ikehara, Ken ; Everest, Jez ; Maeda, Lena ; Hochmuth, Katharina ; Xu, Li ; McNichol, Ann P. ; Bellanova, Piero ; Rasbury, E. Troy ; Kolling, Martin ; Riedinger, Natascha ; Johnson, Joel E. ; Luo, Min ; Marz, Christian ; Straub, Susanne ; Jitsuno, Kana ; Brunet, Morgane ; Cai, Zhirong ; Cattaneo, Antonio ; Hsiung, Kanhsi ; Ishizawa, Takashi ; Itaki, Takuya ; Kanamatsu, Toshiya ; Keep, Myra ; Kioka, Arata ; McHugh, Cecilia M. G. ; Micallef, Aaron ; Pandey, Dhananjai ; Proust, Jean Noel ; Satoguchi, Yasufumi ; Sawyer, Derek ; Seibert, Chloe ; Silver, Maxwell ; Virtasalo, Joonas ; Wang, Yonghong ; Wu, Ting-Wei ; Zellers, SarahHadal trenches are unique geological and ecological systems located along subduction zones. Earthquake-triggered turbidites act as efficient transport pathways of organic carbon (OC), yet remineralization and transformation of OC in these systems are not comprehensively understood. Here we measure concentrations and stable- and radiocarbon isotope signatures of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon (DOC, DIC) in the subsurface sediment interstitial water along the Japan Trench axis collected during the IODP Expedition 386. We find accumulation and aging of DOC and DIC in the subsurface sediments, which we interpret as enhanced production of labile dissolved carbon owing to earthquake-triggered turbidites, which supports intensive microbial methanogenesis in the trench sediments. The residual dissolved carbon accumulates in deep subsurface sediments and may continue to fuel the deep biosphere. Tectonic events can therefore enhance carbon accumulation and stimulate carbon transformation in plate convergent trench systems, which may accelerate carbon export into the subduction zones.