Trace metal and Cd isotope systematics of the basal Datangpo formation, Yangtze platform (South China) indicate restrained (bio)geochemical metal cycling in cryogenian seawater

authored by

Simon V. Hohl, Shao Yong Jiang, Sebastian Viehmann, Wei Wei, Qian Liu, Hai Zhen Wei, Stephen J.G. Galer

Abstract

The behaviour of bioavailable trace metals and their stable isotopes in the modern oceans is controlled by uptake into phototrophic organisms and adsorption on and incorporation into marine authigenic minerals. Among other bioessential metals, Cd and its stable isotopes have recently been used in carbonate lithologies as novel tracer for changes in the paleo primary productivity and (bio)geochemical cycling. However, many marine sediments that were deposited during geologically highly relevant episodes and which, thus, urgently require study for a better understanding of the paleo environment are rather composed of a mixture of organic matter (OM), and detrital and authigenic minerals. In this study, we present Cd concentrations and their isotopic compositions as well as trace metal concentrations from sequential leachates of OM-rich shales of the Cryogenian basal Datangpo Formation, Yangtze Platform (South China). Our study shows variable distribution of conservative and bioavailable trace metals as well as Cd isotope compositions between sequential leachates of carbonate, OM, sulphide, and silicate phases. We show that the Cd isotope compositions obtained from OM leachates can be used to calculate the ambient Cryogenian surface seawater of the restricted Nanhua Basin by applying mass balance calculations. By contrast, early diagenetic Mn carbonates and sulphides incorporated the residual Cd from dissolved organic matter that was in isotopic equilibrium with deep/pore waters of the Nanhua Basin. Our model suggests that the Cd isotopic composition of surface seawater at that time reached values of modern oxygenated surface oceans. However, the deep water Cd isotope composition was substantially heavier than that of modern fully oxygenated oceans and rather resembles deep waters with abundant sulphide precipitation typical for modern oxygen minimum zones. This argues for incomplete recycling of Cd and other bioavailable metals shortly after the Sturtian glaciation in the redox stratified Cryogenian Nanhua Basin. Our study highlights the importance of sequential leaching procedures when dealing with impure authigenic sediments such as OM-rich carbonates, mudstones, or shales to achieve reliable trace metal concentrations and Cd isotope compositions as proxies for (bio)geochemical metal cycling in past aquatic systems.

External Organisation(s)

State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology
Nanjing University
China University of Geosciences
University of Vienna
University of Science and Technology of China
Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (Otto Hahn Institute)

Type

Article

Journal

Geosciences (Switzerland)

Volume

10

Publication date

01.2020

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Earth and Planetary Sciences

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 14 - Life Below Water

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10010036 (Access: Open)