Redox-independent chromium isotope fractionation induced by ligand-promoted dissolution

Abstract

The chromium (Cr) isotope system has emerged as a potential proxy for tracing the Earth’s atmospheric evolution based on a redox-dependent framework for Cr mobilization and isotope fractionation. Although studies have demonstrated that redox-independent pathways can also mobilize Cr, no quantitative constraints exist on the associated isotope fractionations. Here we survey the effects of common environmental ligands on the dissolution of Cr(III)-(oxy)hydroxide solids and associated Cr isotope fractionation. For a variety of organic acids and siderophores, δ⁵³Cr values of dissolved Cr(III) are −0.27 to 1.23‰, within the range of previously observed Cr isotope signatures in rock records linked to Cr redox cycling. Thus, ligand-promoted dissolution of Cr-containing solids, a redox-independent process, must be taken into account when using sedimentary Cr isotope signatures to diagnose atmospheric oxygen levels. This work provides a step towards establishing a more robust framework for using Cr isotopes to track the evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere.