Distribution coefficients of 60 elements on TODGA resin: Application to Ca, Lu, Hf, U and Th isotope geochemistry

Batch equilibration experiments are conducted to measure the distribution coefficients (K-d) of a large number of elements in nitric, nitric plus hydrofluoric, and hydrochloric acids on Eichrom TODGA extraction chromatography resin. The K(d)s are used to devise a multi-element extraction scheme for high-precision elemental and isotopic analyses of Ca, Hf, Lu, Th and U in geological materials, using high-purity lithium metaborate (LiBO2) flux fusion that allows rapid digestion of even the most refractory materials. The fusion melt, dissolved in nitric acid, is directly loaded to a TODGA cartridge on a vacuum chamber for elemental separation. An Ln-Spec cartridge is used in tandem with TODGA for Lu purification. The entire procedure, from flux digestion to preparation for isotopic analysis, can be completed in a clay. The accuracy of the proposed technique is tested by measuring the concentrations of Ca (standard bracketing), Hf, Lu Th and U (isotope dilution), and the isotopic composition of Hf in geostandards (USNM3529, BCR-2, BHVO-1, AGV-1 and AGV-2). All measurements are in excellent agreement with recommended literature values, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed analytical procedure and the versatility of TODGA resin. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.