Metal-Organic Complexes in Seawater Pumped up from under the Ground

Abstract

Metal-organic complexes of transition elements removed by Amberlite XAD-2 resin from seawater pumped up from under the ground were determined. The proportions of iron, copper and zinc retained on the resin to dissolved forms of these metals were about 70, 40 and 5 %, respectively, while manganese, cobalt and nickel were not retained on the resin. These results suggest that although iron may be retained in colloidal form, a significant fraction of copper is present in some organic form (s).