Reliable Ultra Trace Analysis of Cd, U and Zn Concentrations in Greenland Snow and Ice by Using Ultraclean Methods for Contamination Control
This study presents ultraclean procedures used in the challenging task of determining trace elements at or below the pg/g concentration level encountered in Greenland snow and ice. In order to validate these ultraclean procedures, recent snowfall and Holocene ice from northwest Greenland were analyz...
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/11/2519 |
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| author | Changhee Han Heejin Hwang Jung-Ho Kang Sang-Bum Hong Yeongcheol Han Khanghyun Lee Soon Do Hur Sungmin Hong |
| author_facet | Changhee Han Heejin Hwang Jung-Ho Kang Sang-Bum Hong Yeongcheol Han Khanghyun Lee Soon Do Hur Sungmin Hong |
| author_sort | Changhee Han |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study presents ultraclean procedures used in the challenging task of determining trace elements at or below the pg/g concentration level encountered in Greenland snow and ice. In order to validate these ultraclean procedures, recent snowfall and Holocene ice from northwest Greenland were analyzed for Cd, U, and Zn concentrations. The total procedural blanks brought through the entire measurement procedure proved to be negligible, compared to trace element concentrations, measured in snow and ice samples. This validates the overall practicality of the proposed ultraclean procedures, thereby ensuring the reliable measurements of ultra-trace analysis. A comparison between our study and published data shows that improper procedures employed throughout all stages, from field sampling to analysis to elevate the concentrations by several orders of magnitude, relative to the reliable concentration ranges. The risk of contamination exposure for selected trace elements appears to increase in the order of U < As ≤ Pb < Cd < Zn. Reliable measurements of Cd, U, and Zn concentrations in snow and ice allowed us to interpret the data in terms of seasonal variations in the inputs of crustal and anthropogenic sources to Greenland ice sheet. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:32:11Z |
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| id | doaj.art-8fb3ff6e382f4c968df5782228b4a93e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:32:11Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
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| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-8fb3ff6e382f4c968df5782228b4a93e2023-11-20T02:02:05ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492020-05-012511251910.3390/molecules25112519Reliable Ultra Trace Analysis of Cd, U and Zn Concentrations in Greenland Snow and Ice by Using Ultraclean Methods for Contamination ControlChanghee Han0Heejin Hwang1Jung-Ho Kang2Sang-Bum Hong3Yeongcheol Han4Khanghyun Lee5Soon Do Hur6Sungmin Hong7Division of Polar Paleoenvironment, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, KoreaDivision of Polar Paleoenvironment, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, KoreaDivision of Polar Paleoenvironment, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, KoreaDivision of Polar Paleoenvironment, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, KoreaDivision of Polar Paleoenvironment, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, KoreaDivision of Polar Paleoenvironment, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, KoreaDivision of Polar Paleoenvironment, Korea Polar Research Institute, 26 Songdomirae-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21990, KoreaDepartment of Ocean Sciences, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, KoreaThis study presents ultraclean procedures used in the challenging task of determining trace elements at or below the pg/g concentration level encountered in Greenland snow and ice. In order to validate these ultraclean procedures, recent snowfall and Holocene ice from northwest Greenland were analyzed for Cd, U, and Zn concentrations. The total procedural blanks brought through the entire measurement procedure proved to be negligible, compared to trace element concentrations, measured in snow and ice samples. This validates the overall practicality of the proposed ultraclean procedures, thereby ensuring the reliable measurements of ultra-trace analysis. A comparison between our study and published data shows that improper procedures employed throughout all stages, from field sampling to analysis to elevate the concentrations by several orders of magnitude, relative to the reliable concentration ranges. The risk of contamination exposure for selected trace elements appears to increase in the order of U < As ≤ Pb < Cd < Zn. Reliable measurements of Cd, U, and Zn concentrations in snow and ice allowed us to interpret the data in terms of seasonal variations in the inputs of crustal and anthropogenic sources to Greenland ice sheet.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/11/2519ultraclean procedureultralow trace elementscontaminationGreenland snow and iceseasonal variationsanthropogenic inputs |
| spellingShingle | Changhee Han Heejin Hwang Jung-Ho Kang Sang-Bum Hong Yeongcheol Han Khanghyun Lee Soon Do Hur Sungmin Hong Reliable Ultra Trace Analysis of Cd, U and Zn Concentrations in Greenland Snow and Ice by Using Ultraclean Methods for Contamination Control Molecules ultraclean procedure ultralow trace elements contamination Greenland snow and ice seasonal variations anthropogenic inputs |
| title | Reliable Ultra Trace Analysis of Cd, U and Zn Concentrations in Greenland Snow and Ice by Using Ultraclean Methods for Contamination Control |
| title_full | Reliable Ultra Trace Analysis of Cd, U and Zn Concentrations in Greenland Snow and Ice by Using Ultraclean Methods for Contamination Control |
| title_fullStr | Reliable Ultra Trace Analysis of Cd, U and Zn Concentrations in Greenland Snow and Ice by Using Ultraclean Methods for Contamination Control |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reliable Ultra Trace Analysis of Cd, U and Zn Concentrations in Greenland Snow and Ice by Using Ultraclean Methods for Contamination Control |
| title_short | Reliable Ultra Trace Analysis of Cd, U and Zn Concentrations in Greenland Snow and Ice by Using Ultraclean Methods for Contamination Control |
| title_sort | reliable ultra trace analysis of cd u and zn concentrations in greenland snow and ice by using ultraclean methods for contamination control |
| topic | ultraclean procedure ultralow trace elements contamination Greenland snow and ice seasonal variations anthropogenic inputs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/11/2519 |
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