Hello all,

We are running a stable-isotope ecology discussion group here at UNB and
the topic next week is "sample prep".  One of the subjects will surely be
"acid-washing", which is used to remove inorganic carbonates from the
organic sample matrix (e.g., sediments, bulk POM, etc.).  We will no doubt
address the paper by Bunn et al. in L&O.

However, I find some of the more recent isotope food-web literature quite
confusing.  Some authors are now acid-washing to remove carbonates from
bone material when analyzing whole bodies (typically fish) for stable C
isotopes.

I find this an odd thing to do because bone is formed from the diet, and
thus is "dietary carbonate", as opposed to "non-dietary carbonate".  I
thought acid-washing was used to remove only non-dietary, inorganic
carbonates.

Could someone please enlighten our group?

Cheers,
rickd
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Richard (Rick) Doucett, Ph.D.
NSERC Post-Doctoral Fellow
Department of Biology
University of New Brunswick
Bag service# 45111
4 Bailey Drive,
Fredericton, NB,
E3B 6E1, Canada

work: (506) 453-4594
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