THE DISTRIBUTION OF COPPER IN TROPICAL SEAWATER1

Abstract

The concentrations of the ionic, particulate, and total soluble copper in waters off Florida were determined spectrophotometrically. Most of the copper was in the soluble organic complex. Nearshore waters had significantly more total copper (approximately 20 µ g/liter) than the waters flowing through the center of the Straits of Florida (approximately 10 µ g/liter). Ionic copper concentrations were always less than 2 µ g/liter, and the particulate copper concentrations rarely exceeded 0.2 µ g/liter.