Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Biogeochemistry

Old Dominion University

Theses/Dissertations

2010

Chemical speciation

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Concentrations, Distributions And Chemical Speciation Of Zinc And Cadmium In The Equatorial And South Atlantic Ocean, Gonzalo G. Carrasco Jan 2010

Concentrations, Distributions And Chemical Speciation Of Zinc And Cadmium In The Equatorial And South Atlantic Ocean, Gonzalo G. Carrasco

OES Theses and Dissertations

Certain trace metals are important cofactors in enzymatic systems and are thus, essential for life in the world's oceans. Two of these metals, Zn and Cd, are required by phytoplankton for enzymes that facilitate carbon uptake (Morel and Price, 2003). In seawater the total dissolved concentration of a metal (MTD) is distributed among different chemical species and this chemical speciation dictates a metal's bioavailability. Strong organic metal-binding ligands greatly affect the metal's chemical speciation in the ocean, potentially limiting phytoplankton growth by reducing the concentrations of Zn2+ and Cd2+, the bioavailable forms of these two metals to …