Abstract
Eleven large quantitative samples of the particulate material in Antarctic and subantarctic surface waters were obtained with a continuous flow system. Each sample was divided into those particles which were retained by a No. 20 plankton net with a pore size of about 30 µ (class I) and those which passed through the net but were retained by a Sharples Supercentrifuge (class II). Total phosphorus and organic nitrogen were determined on aliquots of class I and II samples, and the remaining material was chemically fractionated into acid‐soluble organic phosphorus, phospholipids, orthophosphate, oligopolyanions, and ribonucleic acid‐polyphosphates.About two‐thirds of the nonparticulate phosphorus was orthophosphate. From 3 to 7.5% of total phosphorus was particulate. Over half of the particulate phosphorus was in class II; 32P‐phosphate experiments indicated that these particles incorporated phosphate at least six times as rapidly as class I particles. In class II particles orthophosphate and RNA‐polyphosphate constitute 80 to 85% of the total phosphorus; in class I the phospholipids are also a large fraction. RNA‐polyphosphate was the most rapidly labeled fraction from the class II particles.
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