The carbon isotopic characteristics (δ
13C) of particulate organic matter during the summer blooming in Tokyo Bay have been investigated. The δ
13C of suspended particulate organic matter (POM) in the surface seawater ranged from -15.4‰ to -4.5‰, which were considerably higher than the value generally known of planktonic organic matter (-20±1‰), suggesting that actively growing phytoplankton might be subjected to such a condition that the diffusion rate of CO
2 might strongly limit the production of organic carbon. However, the isotope ratios of surfacial sedimentary organic matter ranged from -20.4‰ to -18.1‰, which were lower than those of POM. The δ
13C of sinking organic particles collected in sediment traps were similar to those of POM. Therefore, the
13C-enriched isotope characteristics produced during summer phytoplankton blooming might be unlikely to be conserved in the sediments, possibly, by being mixed with terrestrial organic matter depleted in
13C, and/or, being rapidly decomposed during their sedimentation process. In conclusion, it was strongly suggested that properly determining the marine-endmember of δ
13C should be important if the δ
13C would be principally used to estimate contributions of terrestrially and in situ produced organic matter in such an exceedingly eutrophic coastal area as Tokyo Bay.
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