Abstract
Over 500 determinations each of selenium IV and selenium VI have been made on ocean water samples collected from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. All three oceans show similar distributions for both oxidation states which resembles those of the nutrients phosphate and silicate. Pacific and Indian ocean samples show selenium IV values of 50 pmol/1 in surface waters rising to 790 pmol/1 in deep waters and selenium VI values of 500 pmol/1 in surface waters rising to 1400 pmol/1 in deep waters. Atlantic ocean concentrations are 30–40% lower.
Departures from normal profiles are readily understood in terms of hydrographic features. One particular anomaly, low Se VI values, is believed to trace advection of water masses from regions of intense oxygen minima.
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© 1983 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Measures, C.I., Grant, B.C., Mangum, B.J., Edmond, J.M. (1983). The Relationship of the Distribution of Dissolved Selenium IV and VI in Three Oceans to Physical and Biological Processes. In: Wong, C.S., Boyle, E., Bruland, K.W., Burton, J.D., Goldberg, E.D. (eds) Trace Metals in Sea Water. NATO Conference Series, vol 9. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-6864-0_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-6864-0_4
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