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Why are the chemical compositions of living organisms so similar?

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Abstract

The partition of elements between seawater and the marine solid phases (organisms and pelagic clays) is basically controlled by the same surface adsorption mechanisms as between soil pore water and the land solid phases (plants and soils). However, the elements in living organisms are separated into ‘biophile’ and ‘biophobe’ groups.

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  1. Dept. of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1000 Pope Road, 96822, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    Yuan-Hui Li

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  1. Yuan-Hui Li
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Li, YH. Why are the chemical compositions of living organisms so similar?. Schweiz. Z. Hydrologie 46, 177–184 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02538059

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02538059

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