![]() This process is heavily dependent on the seawater temperature, thus the amount of these elements in the shell can be used as a proxy to estimate the surrounding temperature. ![]() The calcium ions can be easily substituted by magnesium, strontium and other elements, in a proportion of a few percent or less. 1 Mollusk shells are mainly composed of calcium carbonate in two different crystal forms (calcite and aragonite), along with traces of proteins and polysaccharides. This is due to the biomineralization process, which not only depends on the internal physiology of the organism, but also on external factors such as the seawater temperature and salinity. The chemical composition of marine mollusk shells offers valuable information about the environmental conditions present during the lifespan of the organism. This fact, along with the reduction in sampling and measurement time compared with other spectrometric techniques (such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry ), makes LIBS useful in paleoclimatic studies. Nevertheless, it was possible to infer the season of capture and the minimum and maximum seawater temperatures from the LIBS sequences. Results using four shells collected in different months of the year showed a direct relationship between the Mg/Ca ratios and the seawater temperature, although the sequences also revealed small-scale (short-term) variability and an irregular growth rate. An automated setup was used to obtain a sequence of Mg/Ca ratios across a sampling path that could be compared with the seawater temperatures recorded during the organism’s lifespan. Here we propose the use laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to estimate Mg/Ca ratios in modern specimens of the common limpet Patella vulgata. For example, a correlation has been found between seawater temperature and the amount of some substituent elements (e.g., magnesium, strontium) in the biogenerated calcium carbonate matrix of the shell, although it is very species-specific. ![]() ![]() Shells found in geological deposits and in many archeological sites can help to reconstruct past climatic conditions. The chemical composition of mollusk shells offers information about environmental conditions present during the lifespan of the organism. All subjects Allied Health Cardiology & Cardiovascular Medicine Dentistry Emergency Medicine & Critical Care Endocrinology & Metabolism Environmental Science General Medicine Geriatrics Infectious Diseases Medico-legal Neurology Nursing Nutrition Obstetrics & Gynecology Oncology Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Otolaryngology Palliative Medicine & Chronic Care Pediatrics Pharmacology & Toxicology Psychiatry & Psychology Public Health Pulmonary & Respiratory Medicine Radiology Research Methods & Evaluation Rheumatology Surgery Tropical Medicine Veterinary Medicine Cell Biology Clinical Biochemistry Environmental Science Life Sciences Neuroscience Pharmacology & Toxicology Biomedical Engineering Engineering & Computing Environmental Engineering Materials Science Anthropology & Archaeology Communication & Media Studies Criminology & Criminal Justice Cultural Studies Economics & Development Education Environmental Studies Ethnic Studies Family Studies Gender Studies Geography Gerontology & Aging Group Studies History Information Science Interpersonal Violence Language & Linguistics Law Management & Organization Studies Marketing & Hospitality Music Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution Philosophy Politics & International Relations Psychoanalysis Psychology & Counseling Public Administration Regional Studies Religion Research Methods & Evaluation Science & Society Studies Social Work & Social Policy Sociology Special Education Urban Studies & Planning BROWSE JOURNALS
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