Rapid measurement of strontium in speleothems using core-scanning micro X-ray fluorescence

We show that CS-μXRF reliably and precisely records Sr concentration in speleothems. Ratioed to near-stoichiometric Ca, the Sr/Ca ratio accounts for variations in beam strength and machine settings, producing a more reliable reported measurement for both intra- and inter-run comparisons. CS-μXRF compares favorably with more conventional trace element procedures such as Quadrupole ICP-MS and ICP-AES, giving confidence in the ability of CS-μXRF to produce paleoclimatologically significant Sr/Ca results. We also identify secondary issues relating to speleothem crystallinity, the dominance of Ca spectral peaks, and comparatively lower energy X-rays that can interfere with precise CS-μXRF analyses. If these can be overcome then CS-μXRF may provide an even more useful method of trace element analysis in speleothem studies.