Oxygen isotope activities and concentrations in aqueous salt solutions at elevated temperatures: Consequences for isotope geochemistry

Earth and Planetary Science Letters
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Abstract

Studies of the effect of dissolved salts on the oxygen isotope activity ratio of water have been extended to 275°C. Dehydrated salts were added to water of known isotope composition and the solutions were equilibrated with CO2 which was sampled for analysis. For comparison similar studies were made using pure water. Results on water nearly coincide with earlier calculations. Salt effects diminish with increasing temperature only for solutions of MgCl2 and LiCl. Other salt solutions show complex behavior due to the temperature-dependent formation of ion pairs of changing character. Equilibrium fractionations (103 ln α) between 1 molal solutions and pure water at 25, 100, and 275°C are: NaCl 0.0, −1.5, +1.0; KCl 0.0, −1.0, +2.0; LiCl −1.0, −0.6, −0.5; CaCl2 −0.4, −1.8, +0.8; MgCl2 −1.1, −0.7, −0.3; MgSO4 −1.1, +0.1, −; NaF (0.8 m) 0.0, −1.5, −0.3; and NH4Cl (0.55 m) 0.0, −1.2, −1.3. These effects are significant in the isotope study of hot saline fluids responsible for ore deposition and of fluids found in certain geothermal systems. Minor modification of published isotope geothermometers may be required.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Oxygen isotope activities and concentrations in aqueous salt solutions at elevated temperatures: Consequences for isotope geochemistry
Series title Earth and Planetary Science Letters
DOI 10.1016/0012-821X(74)90128-9
Volume 23
Issue 3
Year Published 1974
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Description 10 p.
First page 387
Last page 396
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