Molybdenum isotope ratio measurements on geological samples by MC-ICPMS

A method using multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) for the precise measurement of Mo isotopic composition in geological samples has been developed. Purification of Mo for isotope ratio measurements was realized by ion-exchange chromatography using the chelating resin Chelex-100. This technique allows an efficient separation of Mo from an excess of Fe in samples and at the same time provides quantitative recovery of Mo. Instrumental mass discrimination is corrected by using Pd spiking and normalization to the 105Pd/104Pd ratio. Mo isotope ratios of samples are expressed in per mil relative to those of the bracketing in-house Mo standard. The long-term reproducibility at the two standard deviation level is 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.14‰ for 96Mo/95Mo, 97Mo/95Mo, 98Mo/95Mo and 100Mo/95Mo ratio measurements, respectively. The technique has been applied to measurement of the Mo isotopic composition of freshwater sediments and molybdenites. Mass-dependent variations in the isotopic composition of Mo spanning the range of ∼2.2‰ in terms of the 97Mo/95Mo ratio for two sediment columns from different redox environments have been resolved. These results show that Mo isotope effects induced by geochemical processes operating during weathering and transport of Mo to the oceans should be quantified in order to interpret global Mo isotope budget and make use of stable Mo isotopes as proxy for redox conditions in the geological past.