On the Forms, Balance and Cycle of Phosphorus Observed in the Coastal and Oceanic Waters of the Northeastern Pacific

Abstract

The analytical data required for the determination of various forms of phosphorus in sea water are discussed. The precision obtained by a modified Hansen–Robinson perchloric oxidation method has been evaluated and results are given for particulate phosphorus and for soluble inorganic and organic phosphorus.At Departure Bay, near Nanaimo, B.C., over 75% of the soluble phosphorus in the surface water may be organically combined, the fraction increasing as the standing crop of phytoplankton increases. A similar high percentage is found in other coastal areas in summer and in the open ocean. The total phosphorus content of deep oceanic water is over 4 μg-at P/1 and as much as 1 μg-at P/1 or more may remain unmineralized, even at a depth of 1000 to 2000 m.