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Stable hydrogen isotope ratios of lignin methoxyl groups as a paleoclimate proxy and constraint of the geographical origin of wood
Author(s) -
Keppler Frank,
Harper David B.,
Kalin Robert M.,
MeierAugenstein Wolfram,
Farmer Nicola,
Davis Simon,
Schmidt HannsLudwig,
Brown David M.,
Hamilton John T. G.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02213.x
Subject(s) - lignin , meteoric water , paleoclimatology , isotope , stable isotope ratio , fractionation , proxy (statistics) , latitude , δ13c , chemistry , isotopes of carbon , isotopes of oxygen , geology , environmental chemistry , mineralogy , physical geography , geochemistry , geography , paleontology , climate change , organic chemistry , physics , geodesy , quantum mechanics , machine learning , computer science , total organic carbon , oceanography , hydrothermal circulation
Summary• Stable isotope ratios of organic compounds are valuable tools for determining the geographical origin, identity, authenticity or history of samples from a vast range of sources such as sediments, plants and animals, including humans. • Hydrogen isotope ratios (δ 2 H values) of methoxyl groups in lignin from wood of trees grown in different geographical areas were measured using compound‐specific pyrolysis isotope ratio mass spectrometry analysis. • Lignin methoxyl groups were depleted in 2 H relative to both meteoric water and whole wood. A high correlation ( r 2 = 0.91) was observed between the δ 2 H values of the methoxyl groups and meteoric water, with a relatively uniform fractionation of –216 ± 19‰ recorded with respect to meteoric water over a range of δ 2 H values from –110 in northern Norway to +20‰ in Yemen. Thus, woods from northern latitudes can be clearly distinguished from those from tropical regions. By contrast, the δ 2 H values of bulk wood were only relatively poorly correlated ( r 2 = 0.47) with those of meteoric water. • Measurement of the δ 2 H values of lignin methoxyl groups is potentially a powerful tool that could be of use not only in the constraint of the geographical origin of lignified material but also in paleoclimate, food authenticity and forensic investigations.