Study On Some Major Components And The Metallic Elements Compositions Of Marine Phytoplankton Samples From The Yellow And East China Seas And From The Jiao Zhou Bay In Autumn

The ocean is an important passway for the material cycles of the earth system. Biogical production and processes of the transfer and transport of its products play important roles for biogeochemical cycle of elements in marine environments. Studies on the major component and element compositions are essential ways to study the contribution of marine biological production to marine particles and the migration of metallic elements.A stepwise continues extraction method is selected for the isolation and determination of major component of phytoplankton samples, i.e., calcium carbonate, .organic matter, opal and aluminosilicate residue, from the coastal areas. Samples from the Jiaozhou Bay and from the laboratory culture are applied to the optimization of the method. A series of reagent, i.e., ammonium acetate, hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate are used to extract the major components, with satisfied precision and a recovery for 96 to 101%.Phytoplankton samples are collected from the Yellow and East China Seas in November 2007 and from the Jiaozhou Bay off Qingdao City in November 2008 with double plankton net (the external net is for phytoplankton and the internal to remove zooplankton). Major components are determined with the stepwise extraction method, as well as some metallic elements in different chemical forms. The contents of these components and the possible factors influence their distribution are discussed.Organic fraction was the dominant component, following with opal fraction, and content of calcium carbonate fraction was very low both in the Yellow and East China seas and the Jiaozhou Bay. The distribution of opal and organic matter of the phytoplankton showed an obvious pattern that low content (μg/L) in the open sea, while high content in the coastal reagents. The contents of organic matter were uniform in the observed areas. The content of biogenic calcium carbonate showed slight increase tent toward the east side and the open seas, which indicated high diatom biomass in the coastal areas and relatively high content of calcareous phytoplankton in the east side and the open seas.Ratios of organic matter to organic carbon, organic carbon to total nitrogen showed nearly Redfield type. The consistence of the major component compositions reflected the contribution of biogenic components to marine materialsThe contents of each chemical biological forms and total amount are different between the Yellow and East China Seas. Pb and Sr are high in the phytoplankton in the open area that that in the coastal region. Fe, Cu, Pb are also high in the open area than that in costal sea. Zn, Ti and Al are lower in pelagic seawater and Mn, Zn, Pb and Sr are mainly associated with carbonate, and Fe, Al, Cu, Ti and Ba with organic matter. Contents of Cr, Ni and V were lower in the two forms, which change with the sea areas.