Particulate multi-element geochemical concentrations, dissolved barium concentrations and barium-isotopic data collected during the R/V Blue Heron cruise BH15-11 in Lake Superior during August 2015 (NCEI Accession 0277902)

Acquisition Description:
Sampling was performed aboard the RV Blue Heron during cruise BH15-11, which sailed from Duluth MN to Duluth MN during August 2015. Best-practice metal-clean protocols were followed to the greatest extent possible before, during, and after the cruise using only acid-washed sample containers, filters, labware, etc. Particulate sampling comprised one cast at FWM and two casts at WM. The first water drawn from each Nisken was used to fill a 20 mL high-density polyethylene bottle for analysis of total dissolvable barium concentrations and barium-isotopic compositions; the remaining water (~8 L) was transferred to 10 L low-density polyethylene cubitainers to be taken below deck for filtration.

Samples were filtered immediately after collection using negative pressure from a central vacuum line. Each sample was drawn across a polyethersulphone filter membrane (0.45 μm cutoff) from a collapsible cubitainer. Filters were held in place using acid-cleaned Swinnex filter holders (EMD Millipore) and connected to the tubing lines with Luer taper fittings; filters were stored before and after use in sealed polycarbonate petri slide holders and manipulated using plastic forceps. Filtration proceeded for a minimum of three hours or until the filters clogged, at which point the filters were removed from their holders, stored, and the water level recorded; filtered volumes ranged from 0.5-3 L.

Particulate samples were prepared for analysis by leaching in 0.6 M hydrochloric acid at 80 °C for ≥16 hours. Total dissolvable (i.e. unfiltered) samples were weighed and acidified with hydrochloric acid to a concentration of 0.01 M. Samples were left to equilibrate for several months before any sample processing took place.

Following multi-element geochemical analyses—but before ion-exchange chromatography—all samples were dried and spiked with an appropriate amount of barium double spike to ensure the ratio of spike- to sample-derived barium was between one and two. Samples were additionally fluxed in a 1:1 mixture of concentrated hydrogen peroxide and nitric acid for ≥16 hours at 135 °C to oxidize any organic matter in the sample that could interfere with column chemistry or mass spectrometry.

Problem report:
Two minor issues to note:
- The shallowest particulate samples contained insufficient barium to perform a precise isotopic measurement. As such, samples from these depths were ‘pooled’ to yield a depth-integrated value; the depth noted for these pooled samples reflects the average depth of the pooled sample, weighted by the fractional contribution to the total (measured) barium present in each pooled sample. This pooling does not apply to the multi-element geochemical data as these measurements were performed on separate aliquots.

- One sample yielded an anomalous total particulate titanium concentration (002.02.12) and one sample yielded an anomalous total particulate aluminum concentration (002.02.10); these have been listed as ‘nd’.