Isotopic relationships between saponifiable lipids and cellulose nitrate prepared from red, brown and green algae

Biochemical and biophysical drivers of the hydrogen isotopic composition of carbohydrates and acetogenic lipids

The hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2H) of plant compounds is increasingly used as a hydroclimatic proxy; however, the interpretation of δ2H values is hampered by potential coeffecting biochemical and biophysical processes. Here, we studied δ2H values of water and carbohydrates in leaves and roots, and of leaf n-alkanes, in two distinct tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) experiments. Large differences in plant performance and biochemistry resulted from (a) soil fertilization with varying nitrogen (N) species ratios and (b) knockout-induced starch deficiency. We observed a strong 2H-enrichment in sugars and starch with a decreasing performance induced by increasing NO3-/NH4+ ratios and starch deficiency, as well as from leaves to roots. However, δ2H values of cellulose and n-alkanes were less affected. We show that relative concentrations of sugars and starch, interlinked with leaf gas exchange, shape δ2H values of carbohydrates. We thus provide insights into drivers of hydrogen isotopic composition of plant compounds and into the mechanistic modeling of plant cellulose δ2H values.

Bulk hydrogen stable isotope composition of seaweeds: Clear separation between Ulvophyceae and other classes

Little is known about the bulk hydrogen stable isotope composition (δ2 H) of seaweeds. This study investigated the bulk δ2 H in several different seaweed species collected from three different beaches in Brazil, Australia, and Argentina. Here, we show that Ulvophyceae (a group of green algae) had lower δ2 H values (between -94‰ and -130‰) than red algae (Florideophyceae), brown algae (Phaeophyceae), and species from the class Bryopsidophyceae (another group of green algae). Overall the latter three groups of seaweeds had δ2 H values between -50‰ and -90‰. These findings were similar at the three different geographic locations. Observed differences in δ2 H values were probably related to differences in hydrogen (H) metabolism among algal groups, also observed in the δ2 H values of their lipids. The marked difference between the δ2 H values of Ulvophyecae and those of the other groups could be useful to trace the food source of food webs in coastal rocky shores, to assess the impacts of green tides on coastal ecosystems, and to help clarify aspects of their phylogeny. However, reference materials for seaweed δ2 H are required before the full potential of using the δ2 H of seaweeds for ecological studies can be exploited.

A nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (delta13C, delta2H and delta18O) study of Andalusian olive oils

We have determined delta(13)C, delta(2)H and delta(18)O isotopic abundances in Andalusian olive oils. In addition, the fatty acid composition and the distribution of isomers at positions 1,3 and 2 of glycerol were determined by (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, respectively. Isotopic results obtained for four series of oil samples extracted from olives harvested in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons are discussed in terms of olive variety, ripeness, geographical origin, fatty acid composition and growing altitude. A distinction was also established between olives grown in irrigated and in dry land by studying selected samples of the previous series and others from the 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons. The results showed that olive ripeness does not influence the abundance of any of the three isotopes studied. On the other hand, the olive variety influences the abundance of the oxygen and hydrogen isotopes, and also, less markedly, that of carbon. No clear-cut effect of height or latitude on isotope values is observed, probably because the olive variety also changes with height and latitude, thus masking such influences. The oil samples from dryland-grown olives had increased delta(13)C values relative to irrigation-grown olives. In addition, no definite relationship appears to exist between isotope distribution and fatty acid composition. Finally, oil samples from olives harvested in the 2005/06 season in Italy could be distinguished from those from Spain in terms of their isotopic values (delta(2)H mainly).

Hydrogen and carbon isotopic fractionations of lipid biosynthesis among terrestrial (C3, C4 and CAM) and aquatic plants

Compound-specific hydrogen and carbon isotopic compositions in n-alkanoic acids, phytol and sterols were determined for various plant classes (terrestrial C3-angiosperm; C3-gymnosperm; C4; crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM); and aquatic C3 plants) in order to investigate isotopic fractionations among various plant classes. In all plants, lipid biomolecules are depleted in both D (up to 324 per thousand ) and 13C (up to 14.7 per thousand ) relative to ambient water and bulk tissue, respectively. In addition, the magnitude of D- and 13C-depletion of lipid biomolecules is distinctive depending on plant classes. For example, C3 angiosperm n-alkanoic acids are less depleted in D (95+/-23 per thousand ) and 13C (4.3 +/- 2.5 per thousand ) relative to ambient water and bulk tissue, respectively, while C4 plant n-alkanoic acids are more depleted in D (119 +/- 15 per thousand ) and 13C (10.2 +/- 2.0 per thousand ). On the other hand, C3 angiosperm phytol and sterols are much more depleted in D (306 +/-12 per thousand for phytol, 211+/-15 per thousand for sterol) with less depletion in 13C (4.1 +/- 1.1 per thousand for phytol, 1.3 +/- 0.9 per thousand for sterol) relative to ambient water and bulk tissue, respectively, while C4 plant phytol and sterols are less depleted in D (254 +/- 7 per thousand for phytol, 186 +/- 13 per thousand for sterols) with much more depletion in 13C (9.0 +/- 1.2 per thousand for phytol, 5.0 +/- 1.1 per thousand for sterols). Among various plant classes, there is a positive correlation between the D- and 13C-depletion for n-alkanoic acids, while a negative correlation was found for phytol and sterols from the same plants.