Trace element partitioning in sedimentary pyrite controlled by nanoscale processes
Abstract
The trace element (TE) composition of sedimentary pyrite is widely used as a palaeoproxy for Earth environments, raising a need to better estimate the pyrite-water TE partitioning during sedimentary pyrite formation. By monitoring TE incorporation into pyrite grown in laboratory experiments at ambient temperature, we determined transfer functions that link the TE signature of early diagenetic pyrites formed under anoxic, Fe-rich conditions to the initial TE concentrations of the corresponding precipitating aqueous medium, relevant to sediment porewater. Synchrotron based X-ray fluorescence mapping at the nanometre scale and correlation plots reveal that TE association modes with pyrite progressively deviate from ideal solid solution from Se to Ni, As, and Co, while Cu and Zn display exsolution behaviour. Nanoscale distributions modulate the solid-solution distribution coefficients with a significant dependence on the total TE:Fe ratio of the pyrite precipitation medium. Hence, we provide revised average concentration factors and a ranking of distribution coefficients: Se > Co ≥ Cu ≥ Ni ≥ As ≥ Zn ≥ Mn. These improved estimates, particularly for Co, Mn and Zn partitioning in sedimentary pyrite, offer refined constraints for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and Earth oxygenation studies.
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BibTeX
@article{deng2026trace,
title = {{Trace element partitioning in sedimentary pyrite controlled by nanoscale processes}},
author = {Q. Deng and P. Le Pape and F. Poitrasson and C. Duquenoy and R. Guilbaud and A. Somogyi and N. Mehta and F. Guyot and L. Delbes and Ö. Ataytür and R. Messias and E. Bourbon and K. Benzerara and G. Morin},
journal = {Geochemical Perspectives Letters},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.7185/geochemlet.2622},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05773964v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Trace element partitioning in sedimentary pyrite controlled by nanoscale processes
AU - Q. Deng
AU - P. Le Pape
AU - F. Poitrasson
AU - C. Duquenoy
AU - R. Guilbaud
AU - A. Somogyi
AU - N. Mehta
AU - F. Guyot
AU - L. Delbes
AU - Ö. Ataytür
AU - R. Messias
AU - E. Bourbon
AU - K. Benzerara
AU - G. Morin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/29
JO - Geochemical Perspectives Letters
DO - 10.7185/geochemlet.2622
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05773964v1
AB - The trace element (TE) composition of sedimentary pyrite is widely used as a palaeoproxy for Earth environments, raising a need to better estimate the pyrite-water TE partitioning during sedimentary pyrite formation. By monitoring TE incorporation into pyrite grown in laboratory experiments at ambient temperature, we determined transfer functions that link the TE signature of early diagenetic pyrites formed under anoxic, Fe-rich conditions to the initial TE concentrations of the corresponding precipitating aqueous medium, relevant to sediment porewater. Synchrotron based X-ray fluorescence mapping at the nanometre scale and correlation plots reveal that TE association modes with pyrite progressively deviate from ideal solid solution from Se to Ni, As, and Co, while Cu and Zn display exsolution behaviour. Nanoscale distributions modulate the solid-solution distribution coefficients with a significant dependence on the total TE:Fe ratio of the pyrite precipitation medium. Hence, we provide revised average concentration factors and a ranking of distribution coefficients: Se > Co ≥ Cu ≥ Ni ≥ As ≥ Zn ≥ Mn. These improved estimates, particularly for Co, Mn and Zn partitioning in sedimentary pyrite, offer refined constraints for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and Earth oxygenation studies.
SN - 2410-339X
SN - 2410-3403
ER -