title: Isotopic composition of sulfates: similarities - differences - misleadings.
abstract: Abstract In the hydrosphere sulfates of the following origin may exist: (1) evaporitic; they come from the leaching of sulfate rocks, (2) biological, formed by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and (3) anthropogenic, which get into water with wastes, fertilizers or acid rains. Chemical analyses may reveal sulfates in water, but their origin cannot be assessed by means of chemical analysis. The sulfates of various origin may differ in their isotopic compositions. However, sometimes we can observe the similarity of δ(34)S of sulfates whose origin was entirely different. This similarity may be so suggestive that it could be misleading. This paper presents patterns of completely different sulfates whose δ(34)S are similar, though they have nothing in common. Other tables present patterns of sulfates whose origin is similar or even the same but their δ(34)S are characterized by great variety. All of the isotopic data presented in the tables were specially chosen from some of the results of the studies of the sulfates in waters in Poland. Isotopes techniques are becoming more popular and are useful for studies in many fields. These patterns may be a warning against drawing hasty conclusions from the results of δ-measuring.
authors: a Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University , Mass Spectrometry Laboratory , Lublin , Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Trembaczowski