Apart from problems with infinitesimal fractionations induced in nature for the heavier elements, as well as uncertainties about the nature of processes leading to measurable fractionations, reference data are still relatively few, and the analytical challenges are large and their common usage in cultural sciences remains to be proven.
These studies have demonstrated that bacteria can concentrate the light isotopes of Mo during uptake, producing measurable fractionations (Table 1).
Results from the Tura site in Central Siberia indicate that there is no measurable Zn isotopes fractionation between parent rocks and soils assuming that i) the parent bedrock is similar to the C horizon of the soil, as it follows from other isotopical [45,47] and chemical [42] data, and ii) the Siberian basalts exhibit the same Zn isotopic signature as other basalts worldwide.
These included measurement of carbon isotopic fractionation effects between the atmosphere and whole plant material, measurement of carbon isotope fractionation between whole plant matter and phytolith-occluded carbon, and a determination of carbon compounds present in phytolith-occluded carbon.
Measurement of the sulfur isotope fractionation between sulfate and sedimentary pyrite is a promising future direction of this research.
Past ocean temperatures can be estimated from the isotopic fractionation between seawater and marine sediments.
The calcite formation and the δ18O isotope values are strongly controlled by temperature-dependent isotope fractionation between water and carbonate52.
The concave blue curve originating from a point on the MWL shows isotope fractionation between shale and water with the indicated temperatures of equilibration.
Heinrich, C. A., Günther, D., Audétat, A., Ulrich, T. & Frischknecht, R. Metal fractionation between magmatic brine and vapor, determined by microanalysis of fluid inclusions.
The sulfur isotope fractionation between zero-valent sulfur and hydrogen sulfide ranged between 0.9 and 3.2 ‰.
