Seawater Particulate Matter Research Articles

Trace metal analysis of sediments and particulate matter in sea water by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence

The capability of energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence was investigated for fast and simple chemical analysis of trace elements in sediments and particulate matter in sea water. Nuclepore 0.4 μm pore-size membranes are recommended as optimal filters for a straightforward collection of suspended material. The collection of suspended trace metals by filtration seemed to give a sufficiently homogeneous filter load (s% <2.5). Data are presented on the concentrations of K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Pb, Rb and Sr with a fair precision (s% < 5.6) and accuracy.

Separation of total particulate carbon into inorganic and organic components1

A combination of particulate carbon analysis and a baking procedure to remove organic matter is proposed for separating total particulate carbon into inorganic and organic components. Changes in weight and carbonate‐carbon content were tested on powdered, anhydrous CaCO3 at 500° and 550°C and baking durations up to 7 h; the method was applied to field samples of particulate matter in seawater and microplankton net samples. The method is potentially useful for separating the carbon components, especially in coral reef environments or in calcium carbonate enriched sediments.

Determination of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, and Mn in organic particulate matter in seawater by atomic absorption

A method for the determination by atomic absorption spectrophotometry of six major inorganic components of the organic particulate matter in seawater is described. Particles were formed by shaking aliquots of filtered seawater. The yield of aggregates varied greatly in replicate samples. The major factors in the variability of the analyses are the high and variable filter blank values for the elements of interest.

Pp′-DDT adsorption to suspended particulate matter in sea water

A procedure was devised to study pp′-DDT [2,2-bis( p- chlorophenyl )-1,1,1-trichloroethane] adsorption and desorption to suspended particulates in aqueous solutions. DDT adsorption to a marine sediment, sediment fractions, clay and humic acid suspended in sea water was investigated and the humic fraction was found to have a greater adsorbing capacity than the clay or sediment. Removal of the humic fraction from sediment reduced the adsorption capacity to less than 60 per cent of the original sediment sample. It was concluded that suspended humic particulates may be important agents for transporting chlorinated hydrocarbons through the water column and for concentrating them in sediments and in detritus-feeding organisms.

Comparison between two processes of determination of particulate organic carbon in sea water

A process of determination of organic carbon in particulate matter in sea water by dry oxidation and infra-red analysis is described. It was used concurrently with a chromic-acid wet oxidation process upon 123 samples taken at various depths in the Gulf of Guinea, each sample being divided into two equal parts. The ratio between the values of organic carbon by dry oxidation and wet oxidation is 1.09 ± 0.03.

Concentration of Suspended Particulate Matter in Surface Sea Water

A KNOWLEDGE of the kind and amount of suspended particulate matter in the World Ocean is important for the solution of a number of geological, geochemical and environmental problems. Varying estimates of total suspended particulate matter in sea water have been made and Lisitzin1 and Gordeyev2 report concentrations which, in some areas, are one or two orders of magnitude higher than those found by Ewing et al.3,4.

THE SURFACE CHARGE OF PARTICULATE MATTER IN SEAWATER

The surface charge of particulate matter in seawater from estuarine and coastal sources was investigated by microelectrophoresis. Seston consisting mostly of bacteria, small algae, and detritus exhibited a considerable range of mobilities but all were negatively charged; the mean mobility and the range of mobilities increased when the salinity of the media was reduced. The surface charge of model particles of glass, anion exchange resin, bentonite, calcium carbonate, wax, and a polysaccharide were also studied after equilibration in both natural seawater (freed of natural particulates) and an artificial seawater containing only major ions. The considerable range of mean mobilities for these particles in artificial seawater, ‒1.5 to +1.2 (µm/sec) (V/cm)‒1, converged to ‒1.1 to ‒0.1 (µm/sec) (V/cm)‒1 in seawater. The surface adsorption of minor constituents in seawater is the most likely cause of these changes. Dialysis experiments indicated that both high and low molecular weight materials were responsible. The macromolecular component could be removed from limited amounts of seawater by a column of porous glass. Adsorbable constituents of seawater which might produce the observed surface effects are considered.