An uneven distribution of strontium in the coccolithophore Scyphosphaera apsteinii revealed by nanoscale X-ray fluorescence tomography
Walker, Jessica M. (Diamond Light Source)
Greene, Hallam J.M. (The University of Sheffield)
Moazzam, Yousef (Diamond Light Source)
Quinn, Paul D. (Diamond Light Source)
Parker, Julia E. (Diamond Light Source)
Langer, Gerald (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. SGR - Grup de Recerca Marine and Environmental Biogeosciences Research Group - MERS

Date:	2024
Abstract:	Coccolithophores are biogeochemically and ecologically important phytoplankton that produce a composite calcium carbonate-based exoskeleton - the coccosphere - comprised of individual platelets, known as coccoliths. Coccoliths are stunning examples of biomineralization; their formation featuring exceptional control over both biomineral chemistry and shape. Understanding how coccoliths are formed requires information about minor element distribution and chemical environment. Here, the first high-resolution 3D synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping of a coccolith is presented, showing that the lopadoliths of Scyphosphaera apsteinii display stripes of different Sr concentration. The presence of Sr stripes is unaffected by elevated Sr in the culture medium, macro-nutrient concentration, and light intensity, indicating that the observed stripiness is an expression of the fundamental coccolith formation process in this species. Current Sr fractionation models, by contrast, predict an even Sr distribution and will have to be modified to account for this stripiness. Additionally, nano-XANES analyses show that Sr resides in a Ca site in the calcite lattice in both high and low Sr stripes, confirming a central assumption of current Sr fractionation models.
Grants:	Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-00640 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CEX2019-000940-M
Note:	Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-M
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Calcite ; Calcium carbonat ; Biomineralizatione ; Fluorescence ; Strontium ; Tomography ; Biominerals ; Chemical environment ; Coccolithophores ; Element distribution ; Fluorescence tomography ; High resolution ; Minor elements ; Nano scale ; X ray fluorescence
Published in:	Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, Vol. 26, Núm. 6 (Juny 2024) , p. 966-974, ISSN 1464-0333

DOI: 10.1039/d3em00509g
PMID: 38354057

9 p, 2.9 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles