Analytical Method for Lithium Isotopes Determination by Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry: A Useful Tool for Hydrogeochemical Applications

Abstract

The low temperature realm such as the geothermal systems, characterized by a large variety of near-Earth surface processes, has been the object of several isotopic studies, some of them including lithium isotopes. However, much work can still be done to systematically use lithium as tracer of geochemical processes in deep and shallow Earth reservoirs. A pilot study has been performed for the determination of lithium-isotope ratio by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), a technique poorly employed with respect to other methods such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, being more time consuming. Lithium has been extracted by chromatographic techniques on columns through an ion exchange process from both natural and reference samples. The isotope composition (6Li/7Li) expressed in terms of δ7Li has been determined in dynamic and static mode for comparative purposes, by using two different types of thermal ionization mass spectrometers. The results presented in this work agree with the data reported in the literature, opening a new perspective to future research on continental geothermal systems and groundwater domains, spread over the entire Italian peninsula. This research is based on the use of chemical and isotopic data, whereas it does not include lithium isotopes. These latter may provide a huge contribution in studying both volcanic products and fluids from active volcanic areas, including the superposed geothermal systems, and may represent a new tool for research and surveillance.

New Trends in Separation Techniques of Lithium Isotopes: A Review of Chemical Separation Methods

“…Arienzo et al [ 67 ] employed ion exchange chromatography based on cation exchange resin followed by thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) to determine the ratio of Li isotopes for both natural and reference samples (the solid NIST L-SVEC and BHVO-2 standards and seawater) by using two different types of thermal ionization mass spectrometers configured in static (the magnetic field remains static) and dynamic (the magnetic field varies) modes. The determined isotope composition of BHVO-2 was 3.43‰ vs. L-SVEC, while for the seawater it ranged from 30.6 to 33.7‰ vs. L-SVEC [ 67 ], values which correspond to the reported literature values. More recently, Bhushan et al [ 68 ] used a TIMS methodology called total evaporation and ion integration technique (TE and II).…”

Lithium Content and Its Nutritional Beneficence, Dietary Intake, and Impact on Human Health in Edibles from the Romanian Market

“…Li has valuable uses, which has determined an increasing demand on the world market that implicitly addresses environmental reasons for remediation caused by the poisoning of natural ecosystems [2,3]. Also, it has gained increased interest in renewable energy technologies, and the need to recover it from the natural ecosystems needs substantial attention [4][5][6][7]. The concentrations of Li in natural waters are related to geological substrate and human contamination due to lithium-rich brines from batteries [8].…”

Lithium Isotope Determination in Spodumene by fs‐LA‐MC‐ICP‐MS with Non‐Matrix‐Matched Calibration: Insights into ICP Operating Conditions and Data Evaluation

“…But the first accurate and precise measurement of Li isotope was performed using thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) (Xiao and Beary 1989). This method, however, has the drawbacks of large sample consumption (> 100 ng Li) and severe instrumental fractionation effects (Ahmed et al 2002, Arienzo et al 2020. With the introduction of multi-collector ICP-MS (MC-ICP-MS), accurate determination of Li isotopic ratios could be carried out with a mass of only ≈ 1.2 ng of Li after chromatographic purification (Huang et al 2010).…”

“…2002, Arienzo et al . 2020). With the introduction of multi‐collector ICP‐MS (MC‐ICP‐MS), accurate determination of Li isotopic ratios could be carried out with a mass of only ≈ 1.2 ng of Li after chromatographic purification (Huang et al .…”