Vertical Distribution of Iron, Aluminum, Silicon, and Phosphorus in Particulate Matter collected in the Western North Pacific, Indian, and Antarctic Oceans

Abstract

The contents of iron, aluminum, silicon and phosphorus contained in particulate matters separated with millipore filter from sea waters sampled in the Western North Pacific, Indian, and Antarctic Oceans have been analyzed. The results indicated that these chemical elements are different in concentration from region to region. In waters of Sagami Bay and Antarctic Ocean near Scott Island and George V Land, which are influenced by the terrestrial waters, the concentration of iron, aluminum, and silicon ranged from 0.5 to 2.0μg at/l. In the Western North Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Antarctic Ocean far off George V Land concentrations of these elements were below 0.5 μg at/l.The concentration of phosphorus decreased with depth to about 0.02 μg at/l in all regions.When the Fe-Al-Si weight percentage for each region was plotted on a triangular diagram, the samples from the Western North Pacific, Indian, and Antarctic Oceans do not resemble clay minerals and pelagic sediments. Only the Fe-Al-Si weight percentage of the sample from Sagami Bay was similar to that in vermiculite and glauconite and pelagic sediments.