Dear Paul,

Thank you very much for your info.

An ISI literature research on this subject drew a complete blank but I 
will search again looking for the journal you mentioned.

In case I shouldn't hit pay-dirt, could I possibly ask you to send me 
a copy of the manuscript?

In re Natalie's problems I quite agree. I don't think the pH is the 
problem and distillition would be the last resort, only. That's why I 
was thinking of Mn as an alternative.

Another alternative for purification of the water samples would be 
ice-zone melting. It can be down-scaled quite easily and one doesn't 
run the risk of isotopic fractionation. Working on the same principle 
as zone-melting, all the contaminants and salts are concentrated into 
the bottom end of the ice rod.

Very best wishes,
                                   Wolfram


*****************************
Dr. W. Meier-Augenstein
Hon. Lecturer in Chemistry

University of Dundee
Dept. of Anatomy & Physiology
Small's Wynd
DUNDEE  DD1 4HN
Great Britain

Tel.: +44-(0)1382-34/5124, /4968
       +44-(0)468 -314563
Fax:  +44-(0)1382-34/5514

e-mail: [log in to unmask]
or    : [log in to unmask]