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Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation resulting from anaerobic methane oxidation
Author(s) -
Alperin M. J.,
Reeburgh W. S.,
Whiticar M. J.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
global biogeochemical cycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.512
H-Index - 187
eISSN - 1944-9224
pISSN - 0886-6236
DOI - 10.1029/gb002i003p00279
Subject(s) - fractionation , methane , isotopes of carbon , equilibrium fractionation , hydrogen , isotope fractionation , anoxic waters , chemistry , isotope , anaerobic oxidation of methane , carbon fibers , stable isotope ratio , mass independent fractionation , kinetic isotope effect , environmental chemistry , diffusion , deuterium , analytical chemistry (journal) , total organic carbon , materials science , chromatography , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , physics , quantum mechanics , composite number , composite material
Methane oxidation in the anoxic sediments of Skan Bay, Alaska resulted in fractionation of carbon and hydrogen isotopes in methane. Isotope fractionation factors were estimated by fitting methane concentration, δ 13 C‐CH 4 , and δD‐CH 4 data with depth distributions predicted by an open system, steady state model. Assuming that molecular diffusion coefficients for 12 CH 4 , 13 CH 4 , and 12 CH 3 D are identical, the predicted fractionation factors were 1.0088±0.0013 and 1.157±0.023 for carbon and hydrogen isotopes, respectively. If aqueous diffusion coefficients for the different isotopic species of methane differ significantly, the predicted fractionation factors are larger by an amount proportional to the diffusion isotope effect.