A new flow cytometry method enabling rapid purification of diatoms from silica- rich lacustrine sediments

Abstract

Sub-fossil diatoms represent an important archive of past environmental change in both terres- trial and marine settings. In recent years the isotopic analysis of diatom frustules has developed into an important area of paleo-environmental research. The extraction and concentration of diatoms from marine and lake sediments has proven difficult, particularly in silica rich samples. Here we present a new method for the rapid extraction of diatom frustules from lacustrine sediment using flow cytometry. This new technique produces samples suitable for geochemical and isotope-based research with a high degree of purity over a much shorter time frame than existing tech- niques, hours rather than days.