Abstract
The geochemical study of iron isotopes is of great significance to comprehensively understand the surface material circulation process and its environmental effects in surface and subsurface environments. Eutrophic lakes are an important part of the surface and subsurface environment; however, knowledge of the geochemical behaviour and fractionation mechanism of iron isotopes in the biogeochemical cycling of eutrophic lakes is still scarce. In this study, a eutrophic lake with seasonal anaerobic characteristics (Hongfeng Lake) was selected as the study object to systematically analyse the iron isotope composition of suspended particles in lake water and the main tributaries in different seasons. The results show that the value of δ56Fe in Hongfeng Lake is between −0.85‰ and +0.14‰, and the value of δ56Fe has a high linear correlation with Fe/Al, indicating that the continental source material carried by the main inflow tributaries of the lake has an important influence on the source of iron in the lake. And Hongfeng Lake is moderately eutrophic lakes. Algal bloom and the content of chlorophyll a (Chl-a) are high, combined with the high correlation between Chl-a and the value of δ56Fe, which indicates that the growth of algae has an important influence on the change in the iron isotope composition of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in lake water and that the adsorption and growth absorption of Fe by algae are the main reason for the change in the value of δ56Fe; therefore, Fe isotope can be used to trace the lake’s biological action. For the lake and its inflow tributaries, δ56Fe values are higher in summer than in winter. The variation in the δ56Fe value of SPM with lake depth is more distinct in summer than in winter. In addition, there is a distinct thermocline in summer, which leads to hydrochemical stratification. Moreover, according to a linear correlation analysis, the content of dissolved organic matter (DOC) in Hongfeng Lake’s upper and lower water bodies, respectively, has a high correlation with the value of δ56Fe. Specifically, the correlation is positive in the upper water but negative in the lower water, which indicates that the difference in algae metabolism patterns between the upper and lower water bodies of Hongfeng Lake plays an important role in the iron isotope composition of SPM. The composition of the iron isotope in SPM is altered by organic adsorption and growth absorption of algae in the upper water. With an increase in depth, degradation becomes the main process. In addition, the value of δ56Fe is low and that of Fe/Al is high in the water bottom, which indicates that a “ferrous-wheel” cycle forms at the bottom of the water.
Highlights
Iron is the fourth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and exists widely in the atmosphere, soil, rivers and oceans, plants, and animals
Polyethylene bottles, Lake basin is dominated by woodland and farmland, which account for more than 60% of the total tubes and HDPE bottles for sample collections were all soaked with 6 N HCl for area
Electrical conductivity (EC); red-bromocresol green was used as a mixed indicator; and filtered samples were acidified with 0.02 N HCl
Summary
Iron is the fourth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and exists widely in the atmosphere, soil, rivers and oceans, plants, and animals. Biological and abiotic processes such as redox reactions, mineral dissolution, organic matter mixing, adsorption/desorption and biological uptake are the main processes that lead to the change in iron isotope composition between dissolved and particulate phases [26,27]. Polyethylene bottles, Lake basin is dominated by woodland and farmland, which account for more than 60% of the total tubes and HDPE bottles for sample collections were all soaked with 6 N HCl (hydrochloric acid) for area. A multi-parameter sensor was used to determine the pH, water temperature (T) and electrical conductivity (EC); red-bromocresol green was used as a mixed indicator; and filtered samples were acidified with 0.02 N HCl. Samples for measurement of cations and anion filters in the field and filtered samples were analyzed for cation and metal concentrations were acidified to pH < 2. The samples were cleaned with lake water and pure water without chemical reagents
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