Assessment of the mechanism of elemental incorporation into bivalve shells (Arctica islandica) based on elemental distribution at the microstructural scale

Abstract To address the mechanism of elemental incorporation into shells of the bivalve Arctica islandica , we performed two-dimensional elemental mapping of Sr, Mg, and S at a ∼3 μm spatial resolution using electron microprobe. These elemental distributions were precisely compared to the shell microstructure. The Sr distribution was intimately linked to the S concentration and/or shell microstructure. Sr showed a clear annual pattern with higher values at the annual growth lines and lower values in annual growth increments. The Sr and S concentrations were higher near sub-annual growth lines than in the adjacent regions, which were dominated by acicular microstructure (middle shell layer) …