Evaluation of ~32Si as a tracer for measuring silica production rates in marine waters

摘要

the radioisotope ~32Si was evaluated as a tracer for measuring silica production rates in marine waters. ~32Si is a weak β-emitter that decays to ~32p allowing the isotope to be used to determine simultaneously the production rate of biogenic silica and organic phosphorus. High specific activity ~32Si, 42-000-52,000 Bq (μg Si)~1, was produced by the proton spallation of DCI. Reasonable tracer additions result in only nanomolar increases in the ambient silicic acid and orthophosphate concentrations during production rate experiments.