Abstract
The nuclear volume effects (NVEs) of Hg, Tl and Pb isotope systems are investigated with careful evaluation on quantum relativistic effects via the Dirac's formalism of full-electron wave function. Equilibrium (202)Hg/(198)Hg, (205)Tl/(203)Tl, (207)Pb/(206)Pb and (208)Pb/(206)Pb isotope fractionations are found can be up to 3.61‰, 2.54‰, 1.48‰ and 3.72‰ at room temperature, respectively, larger than fractionations predicted by classical mass-dependent isotope fractionations theory. Moreover, the NVE can cause mass-independent fractionations (MIF) for odd-mass isotopes and even-mass isotopes. The plot of [formula in text] for Hg-bearing species falls into a straight line with the slope of 1.66, which is close to previous experimental results. For the first time, Pb(4+)-bearing species are found can enrich heavier Pb isotopes than Pb(2+)-bearing species to a surprising extent, e.g., the enrichment can be up to 4.34‰ in terms of (208)Pb/(206)Pb at room temperature, due to their NVEs are in opposite directions. In contrast, fractionations among Pb(2+)-bearing species are trivial. Therefore, the large Pb fractionation changes provide a potential new tracer for redox conditions in young and closed geologic systems. The magnitudes of NVE-driven even-mass MIFs of Pb isotopes (i.e., [formula in text]) and odd-mass MIFs (i.e., [formula in text) are almost the same but with opposite signs.