{"id":8052,"date":"2021-02-09T18:45:40","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T18:45:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/2021\/02\/09\/attores-a-paleoklimatologia-interdiszciplinaris-kutatasaban\/"},"modified":"2021-03-02T10:46:17","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T10:46:17","slug":"a-breakthrough-in-interdisciplinary-research-of-palaeoclimatology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/2021\/02\/09\/a-breakthrough-in-interdisciplinary-research-of-palaeoclimatology\/","title":{"rendered":"A breakthrough in interdisciplinary research of palaeoclimatology"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading source=”post_title” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_text_separator title=”EVENTS” title_align=”separator_align_left” color=”custom” style=”dotted” border_width=”2″ css_animation=”right-to-left” accent_color=”#5eb3d2″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The clumped isotope laboratory established in ICER project participated in the research with Institute for Geological and Geochemical Research under the direction of L\u00e1szl\u00f3 Rinyu.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Attila Dem\u00e9ny (member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, director of the Institute for Geological and Geochemical Research, ELKH Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences) and his research group discovered a peculiar phenomenon a few years ago concerning the stable isotope geochemical data of speleothems and the hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of their fluid inclusions. It was found that solutions enclosed in small cavities of speleothems do not retain the 18<\/sup>O\/16<\/sup>O ratio characteristics of dripping water, but show significant 16<\/sup>O enrichment (Dem\u00e9ny et al., 2016<\/a>). The shift in the composition of the dripping water is caused by the precipitation of a previously unrecognized type of carbonate, amorphous calcium carbonate (\u201cACC\u201d), which exchanges the 18<\/sup>O and 16<\/sup>O isotopes with H2<\/sub>O molecules in the entrapped solution during recrystallization to calcite (Dem\u00e9ny et al., 2016<\/a>). The next question was, what causes amorphous calcium carbonate precipitation and why it remains stable on the speleothem surface for weeks to months while amorphous carbonate precipitated under laboratory conditions transforms to calcite in minutes?[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As the possibility arose that bacteria living on the surface of speleothems may be responsible for the precipitation of the amorphous material, researchers in earth science and biology started a collaboration. In the framework of the NKFI FK123871 project, N\u00f3ra Enyedi and Judit Makk, researchers at the Department of Microbiology of E\u00f6tv\u00f6s Lor\u00e1nd University, and P\u00e9ter N\u00e9meth, researcher at the Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry of the Research Centre for Natural Sciences, examined in detail the mineralogical characteristics of bacterial carbonate. In addition to the morphological and structural analysis of carbonate, microbiological studies spectacularly show the stabilizing effect of the lipid-rich bacterial organic coating. The research team published the results in Scientific Reports<\/a> of the Nature journal family.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”5809″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1614681512685{margin-top: -5em !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Thermo Scientific\u2122 253 Plus \u00a0mass spectrometer and a Thermo Scientific\u2122 Kiel IV automatic preparation unit at the Nuclear Physics Institute<\/p>\n

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Another aspect of the extensive research on cave carbonate formations is the geochemistry of \u201cclumped isotopes,\u201d that can be used to determine carbonate formation temperature. During carbonate precipitation from aqueous solution, the ionic species of dissolved carbon in solution (dissolved CO2<\/sub>, H2<\/sub>CO3<\/sub>, CO3<\/sub>2\u2013<\/sup>, HCO3<\/sub>\u2013<\/sup>) are in dynamic equilibrium with each other. With the exchange of 18<\/sup>O and 16<\/sup>O isotopes, temperature-dependent thermodynamic equilibrium between the different species is expected. In contrast to thermodynamic equilibrium, however, the heavy isotopes of carbon and oxygen (13<\/sup>C and 18<\/sup>O) are preferentially clumped and the bonds are not broken due to the higher binding strength compared to light isotopes. The higher the formation temperature, the easier the break-up\u00a0 and the thermodynamic equilibrium to be reached. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology discovered the temperature dependence of heavy isotope clumping in 2006, establishing a new scientific field, \u201cclumped isotope geochemistry\u201d. The ELKH Institute for Nuclear Research in Debrecen (ATOMKI) has established a laboratory suitable for measuring clumped isotopes within the framework of a GINOP project (\u201cIKER\u201d project<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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The institutes began a collaboration to investigate Hungarian speleothems, and then, as a next step, to analyze the relationship between the bacterial carbonate precipitation described above and the clumped isotope compositions. The results obtained on speleothems differed significantly from the expected compositions for the given cave temperatures, suggesting that bacterial carbonate precipitation may have influenced the degree of heavy isotope clumping. Researchers in earth sciences and microbiology used the Baradla Cave as a natural laboratory, and with the permission and assistance of the Aggtelek National Park sampled and analyzed the carbonate precipitated on site. The essential condition of cave research is the participation of licensed cave research professionals, in this case Szabolcs Le\u00e9l-\u0150ssy, a lecturer at E\u00f6tv\u00f6s Lor\u00e1nd University.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”8040″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1614681606013{margin-top: -5em !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Germicide lamp and carbonate sampler in the Baradla Cave (Photo: \u00c1gnes Berent\u00e9s)<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]To demonstrate the effect of bacteria on carbonate formation, the sampling surface was illuminated with a germicide (cell-killing) lamp at a sampling point and a control point was kept untreated during the sampling period. The micromorphological characteristics of the collected carbonate samples differed drastically. In contrast to the irregular appearance of biogenic carbonate coated with biofilm, well expressed calcite crystals precipitated from the dripping water on the UV-treated surface. Clumped isotope compositions, in contrast, did not show a systematic relationship with UV treatment. The special composition of the studied speleothems is thus a consequence of the isotope fractionation processes taking place in the dripping water migration pathway, which provides essential information on the paleoclimatological applicability of the speleothems (see the research group\u2019s publication in PLOS ONE<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Research is continuing: genetic analyzes are being conducted to study the effects of cave bacteria, sampling is beginning in other regions of the world, and new scientific collaborations are already starting. The \u201cNANOMIN\u201d project of the Excellence Cooperation Program (KEP-1\/2020), launched by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and financed by the E\u00f6tv\u00f6s Lor\u00e1nd Research Network in 2020, has resulted in a breakthrough in interdisciplinary research in addition to connecting research institutes and universities.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”8043″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”8046″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1614681706678{margin-top: -5em !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Carbonate with irregular morphology and covered by biofilm (first picture) and abiogenic calcite crystals (second image)<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Publications<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Dem\u00e9ny, A., Czuppon, Gy., Kern, Z., Le\u00e9l-\u0150ssy, Sz., N\u00e9meth, A., Szab\u00f3, M., T\u00f3th, M., Wu, Ch-Ch., Shen,Ch.-Ch., Moln\u00e1r, M., N\u00e9meth, T., N\u00e9meth, P., \u00d3v\u00e1ri, M. (2016a): Recrystallization-induced oxygen isotope changes in inclusion-hosted water of speleothems \u2013 Paleoclimatological implications.<\/a> Quaternary International, 415, 25-32.<\/p>\n

Dem\u00e9ny, A., N\u00e9meth, P., Czuppon, Gy., Le\u00e9l-\u0150ssy, Sz., Szab\u00f3, M., Judik, K., N\u00e9meth, T., Stieber, J. (2016b) Formation of amorphous calcium carbonate in caves and its implications for speleothem research<\/a>. Scientific Reports, 6:39602, DOI: 10.1038\/srep39602<\/p>\n

Dem\u00e9ny, A., Rinyu, L., N\u00e9meth, A., Czuppon, Gy., Enyedi, N., Makk, J., Le\u00e9l-\u0150ssy, Sz., Kesj\u00e1r, D., Kov\u00e1cs, I. (2021) Bacterial and abiogenic carbonates formed in caves \u2013 no vital effect on clumped isotope compositions<\/a>. PloS ONE 16(1): e0245621.<\/p>\n

Enyedi, N.T., Makk, J., K\u00f3tai, L., Ber\u00e9nyi, B., Kl\u00e9bert, S., Sebesty\u00e9n, Z., Moln\u00e1r, Z., Borsodi, A.K., Le\u00e9l-\u0150ssy, S., Dem\u00e9ny, A., N\u00e9meth, P. (2020) Cave bacteria-induced amorphous calcium carbonate formation<\/a>. Scientific Reports 10, 8696.[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Related link<\/span><\/h3>\n

https:\/\/elkh.org\/en\/news\/bacteria-everywhere-novel-investigations-on-carbonate-formation-mechanisms-in-the-collaboration-of-researchers-of-earth-science-biology-and-physics\/<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Related publication<\/span><\/h3>\n

https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0245621<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”Back to the EVENTS main page” style=”outline-custom” outline_custom_color=”#000000″ outline_custom_hover_background=”#5eb3d2″ outline_custom_hover_text=”#ffffff” shape=”round” size=”sm” i_icon_fontawesome=”fas fa-arrow-left” add_icon=”true” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fiker.atomki.hu%2Fen%2Fevents%2F|title:Foly%C3%B3irat%20publik%C3%A1ci%C3%B3″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading source=”post_title” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_text_separator title=”EVENTS” title_align=”separator_align_left” color=”custom” style=”dotted” border_width=”2″ css_animation=”right-to-left” accent_color=”#5eb3d2″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The clumped isotope laboratory established in ICER project participated in the research with Institute for Geological [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interview","category-kutatas-en"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/iker.atomki.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/03\/IMG_9711.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paF6JY-25S","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8052"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8064,"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8052\/revisions\/8064"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7017"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iker.atomki.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}