Chemical studies of dissolved carbohydrates in seawater

Charcoal column chromatography and a dialysis system using a Visking tube were used for the concentration and separation of dissolved carbohydrates in seawater. Recoveries of mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides were 46–74, 61–89 and 70%, respectively, relative to the total amount of sugars initially submitted to analysis. The combined charcoal column chromatography and dialysis system was used to separate dissolved carbohydrates in seawater samples from Mikawa Bay into mono-, oligo- and polysaccharide fractions. The polysaccharides are separated into two fractions with molecular weights of <4,000 and >4,000 using Sephadex G-25 column chromatography. Monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides with M.W.<4,000 and polysaccharides with M.W. >4,000 accounted for 7–9, 15–26, 7–13 and 20–33% of total dissolved carbohydrates, respectively. However, 32–38% of dissolved carbohydrates were lost during the analytical procedures. Glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, arabinose, ribose, fucose, and rhamnose were found upon acid hydrolysis of the oligo- and polysaccharide fractions, while fucose and rhamnose were not present in the monosaccharide fraction. Possible sources of the carbohydrates in these fractions are discussed with reference to the monosaccharide composition of cellular carbohydrate in marine algae.     

Sources and sinks of low molecular weight organic carbonyl compounds in seawater

Results from laboratory studies indicated that low molecular weight (LMW) carbonyl compounds, especially formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone and glyoxal, can be formed in seawater by photochemical processes. Once formed, these compounds appear to be readily consumed by biota. These results suggest that concentrations of LMW carbonyl compounds should undergo diurnal variations in the illuminated layer of the sea. In support of this, diurnal fluctuations of LMW carbonyl concentrations were observed in humic-rich surface waters off the west coast of Florida over a three day sampling period using a shipboard HPLC system. Fluctuations in acetaldehyde were particularly strong and reproducible, with steady night-time concentrations of 2–3 nM and day-time concentrations reaching a maximum of 20–30 nM in the early afternoon. In contrast, diurnal fluctuations in formaldehyde were less distinct, ranging from 15 to 50 nM.The laboratory and field results are discussed in terms of biotic/abiotic sources and sinks of LMW carbonyl compounds in surface seawater. It is speculated that photooxidative cleavage of biologically refractory dissolved organic matter (DOM) in seawater to yield LMW organic fragments, such as carbonyl compounds, may be important in the breakdown and geochemical cycling of DOM in the ocean.     

Metaproteomic characterization of dissolved organic matter in coastal seawater

We performed a comprehensive metaproteomic analysis of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) in Japanese coastal waters using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and demonstrated that these proteomes were characterized by proteins with various functions, including metabolic enzymes, membranes, and photosynthetic proteins. The protein sources included cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, and eukaryotic phytoplankton. Most of the components were similar among samples and also similar to pelagic components. We also observed differences in the compositions of the microbial communities of origin among the different dissolved protein samples and differences in the relative abundance of specific dissolved protein types (e.g., cytoskeletal proteins), possibly indicating potential dynamics in the coastal DOM pool.     

High molecular weight organic matter in seawater

The presence and nature of high molecular weight organic matter in seawater was critically reviewed and its biogeochemical cycle was discussed.Organic matter that passes through a filter of 0.5–1 μm pore size is called dissolved and that which does not pass through such a filter is defined as particulate. The size of colloidal particles ranges from 0.001 to 1 μm, and therefore, they are included in the dissolved fraction having high molecular weight.High molecular weight organic matter greater than 100,000 molecular weight was found in the seawater of Tokyo Bay. The values ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 mgC/l, and accounted for 8–45% of the total dissolved organic matter.Decomposition experiments on dissolved organic matter showed that macromolecular organic matter is refractory to bacterial attack. However, macromolecular organic materials tend to aggregate or adsorb on small particles to a sufficient size for precipitation. Organic aggregates thus formed sink to the bottom of the sea and bioelements included in them are removed from water column. High molecular weight organic materials are, therefore, considered to play an important role in transportation and distribution of matter in seawater.In order to elucidate the chemical and biological properties of macromolecular organic matter, concentration and isolation of this material are important, using methods such as adsorption on organic adsorbents or ultrafiltration.     

Doubling the production and precision of the MBTH spectrophotometric assay for dissolved carbohydrates in seawater

Extensive use of the three step 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride (MBTH) method for determining concentrations of both free and combined dissolved carbohydrate occurring in diverse marine environments has shown its suitability for studies of carbohydrate dynamics. Modification of the analytical sequence to extend over 2 working days to eliminate a confusing and error producing overlap of analytical operations allows a single analyst to determine 15 instead of 8 samples in the same 2-day period. This modification also permits an increase in the number of blank plus replicate determinations from 5 to 7 per sample so that a total of 105 reaction tubes can be assayed every 2 days compared to 40–50 for the original procedure. For a series of 7 Narragansett Bay samples, the standard deviation of the method serendipitously decreased by 50% (from ±5.3 to ±2.7 μg C l⁻¹) when the original procedure was compared with the modified procedure. Postponing the final analytical step for a day when the analyses can be completed with an autoprocessor will free the analyst for the processing of more samples, causing an additional doubling in productivity.     

An improved method for the hydrolysis and MBTH analysis of dissolved and particulate carbohydrates in seawater

An improved method for the bulk characterization of particulate and dissolved combined carbohydrates in seawater is presented. Seawater samples are dried under vacuum and the residue is hydrolyzed with 12 M H₂SO₄. Carbohydrates in the hydrolysate are subsequently quantified spectrophotometrically by MBTH (3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride) analysis. Sulfuric acid was more effective in hydrolyzing high-molecular-weight structural carbohydrates (cellulose, chitin, and alginic acid) than weak (0.09 N) hydrochloric acid. Sulfuric acid hydrolysis of dissolved and particulate samples yielded estimates of carbohydrates equal to or greater (two- to four-fold) than those resulting from dilute (0.09 N) HCl hydrolysis. In samples from the Gulf of Mexico, total dissolved carbohydrates determined after sulfuric acid hydrolysis varied from 20 to 56 μM C and from 10 to 28% of the dissolved organic carbon determined by high-temperature catalytic oxidation.     

Preliminary research on dissolved oxygen maximum of seawater in low latitude of China

-During the multi-disciplinary investigations on the waters of Nansa Islands for three cruises respectively in 1985. 1986. 1987. it is found that the dissolved oxygen maximum (DOmax) in its vertical distribution usually exists between 20m and 75m deep. The deep position of O2 maximum is near the thermocline below and above the deep chlorophyll maximum, as well as above the light-beam attenuation coefficient maximum. In the parts of O2 maximum occurring, the minimum of CO2 partial pressure and the maximum of pH value are also found at the same depth. It is still difficult to explain the features exactly by using the published research results about the oxygen maximum in its vertical distribution on the waters of middle and high latitude.In the present paper, the dissolved oxygen maximum in its vertical distribution on the waters of low latitude is described. It is made by an internal wave which holds eddy mixture. The feature appears to arise from the biological photosynthesis with stratification, from t     

海水苦卤中可溶性糖的测定

建立了一种海水苦卤中可溶性糖的测定方法。研究确定了苯酚-硫酸法测定海水苦卤样品中可溶性糖的最佳实验条件。在加入苯酚60mg、90℃水浴加热20min的条件下,显色体系在490nm处的吸光度达到最佳值,糖的浓度在1—100μg.ml-1范围内符合比尔定律,线性相关系数为0.999 7。该方法具有简便、快速、稳定性好、干扰因素少的特点,且样品基本无需预处理。用所拟方法对广东省徐闻县盐场制盐苦卤中的可溶性糖进行测定,相对标准偏差为1.73%(n=6),加标回收率在94.80%—102.70%之间,结果满意。应用该方法还成功测定了生态型人工海水添加剂———苦卤提取物中糖的含量。     

Molecular weight distribution of dissolved organic materials in seawater determined by ultrafiltration: a re-examination

Most of the dissolved organic materials (DOM) in coastal Maine, Gulf of Maine, and North Atlantic seawaters had molecular weights (MW), determined by ultrafiltration, less than 1000. Only 34% of the DOM had MW greater than 1000, only 6% had MW greater than 30 000, and only 1% was of MW greater than 100 000. The majority of ultrafilter-derived MW data are consistent with patterns shown here; earlier reports of high-MW DOM in seawater were apparently exaggerated due to procedural and ultrafilter artifacts. It is also shown that most ultrafiltration data do not clearly indicate loss of high-MW DOM during estuarine mixing, and that apparent removal could result from decreased retention as ionic strength increases.     

Separation of naturally occurring high molecular weight metal complexes from seawater

A filtration technique using Sephadex G-10 gel was adapted for differentiating metal-containing substances with a molecular weight >700 from all other compounds in seawater. The recovery was found to be good, as the metal concentration could be determined with flameless Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. This method was employed during a cruise in the Peruvian upwelling region. It showed that Fe is predominantly complexed in biologically active zones, whereas Cu is bound to higher molecular weight substances only in rare cases.     

Decomposition and alteration of organic compounds dissolved in seawater

The dissolved organic matter in seawater is grouped into two fractions which are defined as having greatly differing reactivities with respect to both chemical and biological decomposition. One fraction, which constitutes the bulk of the material, is extremely stable and inert and is only slowly degraded by either chemical or biological processes. The other fraction, which is composed of trace organic compounds derived from living organisms, contains components such as free amino acids which are rapidly degraded, probably by marine organisms which use these compounds as a food source. Conclusions about the cycle of organic compounds in seawater based on total organic carbon concentrations could thus be misleading, since pathways involving labile trace organic constituents would be completely obscured. Investigations of the distribution, concentration, and possible diagenetic reactions of specific organic compounds are necessary in order to elucidate the cycle of these compounds in the oceans.     

海水溶解色氨酸的荧光分析

本文初步建立了直接测定海水中溶解色氨酸的方法,并进行各种条件影响实验.在0～0.070mg/dm3浓度范围内色氨酸荧光强度与浓度之间线性关系良好.在最佳实验条件下,方法检测限为7.6×10-4mg/dm3,精密度小于3.1%,回收率86%～120%.     

Luminescence quenching of dissolved organic matter in seawater

To characterize more fully the nature of the fluorophores present in the dissolved organic matter found in seawater, steady state and time-resolved measurements of the luminescence quenching of a number of samples of marine dissolved organic matter with known quenchers, such as iodide, acrylamide and methyl viologen (MV) (1,1′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium), were compared. Quenching characteristics of these systems were analyzed using Stern-Volmer plots for both intensity and lifetime measurements. The bimolecular quenching constants, κ_q, for these quenchers were found to decrease in the order MV²⁺ (κ_q 10¹⁰M⁻¹s⁻¹) > I⁻ (κ_q 2 × 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) >CH₂CHCONH₂ (κ_q 2 × 10⁸ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) for the samples measured. The results also show that different samples are quenched to differing extents by the quenchers studied, that ionic strength alters the quenching constants, and that both static and diffusional quenching mechanisms may operate.Such studies are appropriate to the quantification of the reactivity of the singlet states of the chromophores found within marine dissolved organic matter. Although excess energy of the singlet state may be readily transferred to another chemical species, the combination of competing physical deactivation paths and the low concentrations of efficient quenches in the oceans serves to lessen the direct chemical impact of this process.     

The fluorescence of dissolved organic matter in seawater

A total of 28 vertical profiles of seawater fluorescence was measured in the Sargasso Sea, the Straits of Florida, the Southern California Borderlands, and the central Pacific Ocean. In all cases, surface seawater fluorescence was low as a result of photochemical bleaching which occurs on the timescale of hours. Fluorescence of deep water was 2–2.5 times higher than that of surface waters, and was constant, implying a long residence time for fluorescent organic matter, possibly of the order of thousands of years. Fluorescence correlates well with nutrients (NO₃⁻, PO₄³⁻) in mid-depth waters (100–1000 m) in the Sargasso Sea and the central North Pacific, consistent with results in the central Pacific and the coastal seas of Japan. This suggests that regeneration or formation of fluorescent materials accompanies the oxidation and remineralization of settling organic particles.The various sources and sinks of fluorescent organic matter in the global oceans are assessed. The major sources are particles and in situ formation; rivers, rain, diffusion from sediments, and release from organisms are minor sources. The major sink is photochemical bleaching.     

About the physicochemical state of dissolved beryllium in seawater

The solubility of Be₂(OH)₂CO₃ in seawater has been experimentally determined at a temperature of 25°C and salinity of 35‰. The [Be²⁺]-pH correlation curve gradually flattens within the pH range of 7.2 to 8.2, but the flattening of the curve stops at pH∼8 due to the increased contribution of carbonate, hydroxide, or (and) hydroxide-carbonate complexes.     

Vertical variations of dissolved carbohydrates in the North Yap Trench

The concentrations of dissolved monosaccharides(MCHO),polysaccharides(PCHO),and total carbohydrates(TCHO)in the seawater samples collected from the north of the Yap Trench in the western Pacific Ocean were measured by 2,4,6-tripyridine-s-triazine(TPTZ)spectrophotometry method.The results show that the concentrations of MCHO,PCHO,and TCHO ranged from 4.6 to 22.1μmol C/L,3.5 to 27.3μmol C/L,and 13.8 to 36.3μmol C/L,respectively.In different sampling stations,the concentrations of MCHO,PCHO,and TCHO with water depth showed complex variation patterns.In the study area,the maximum concentrations of MCHO,PCHO,and TCHO occurred in the euphotic layer and the minimum concentrations occurred in mesopelagic seawater layer.Generally,the concentrations of MCHO,PCHO,and TCHO decreased with water depth from the euphotic layer to the hadal zone.The average value of PCHO/TCHO was higher than the average value of MCHO/TCHO,indicating that PCHO was the main component of TCHO in north of the Yap Trench.     

Release and uptake of dissolved silica in seawater by marine sediments

Natural marine sediments can release dissolved silica to silica-poor seawater and can remove silica from seawater enriched with dissolved silica. These are fast reactions, with sufficient reaction occurring within the first 48 hours to indicate clearly the direction of the reaction. The relative importance of these two processes varies with the ratio of clays to biogenic silica in the sediment. Both the release and the uptake reactions approach the interstitial water concentration of dissolved silica as an end point, which suggests that these reactions may influence this concentration. No change in sediment reactivity with respect to silica uptake or release reactions was observed with increasing depth in core for the three sediment cores investigated; this indicates that uptake sites are not saturated, and silica is available for dissolution for a long time after deposition.     

Variations of particulate proteins and dissolved amino acids in coastal seawater

The relationships existing between the protein-containing fraction of particulate matter and amino acids dissolved in seawater were studied in the Gulf of Marseille at different periods of the year. The concentration of particulate proteins was almost zero in February and attained maximum values during April and May, the average concentrations of dissolved amino acids (total) varied between 900 and 1200 nmole l^?1 but larger variations were encountered at the surface and in the vicinity of the sediment. The influence of meteorological conditions and the effect of the sediment on the distribution of nitrogenous substances were taken into account. Combined dissolved amino acids were more abundant than free dissolved amino acids in 90% of the cases. The concentrations of dissolved amino acids observed in a zone bordering the North Mediterranean are comparable to those found in other regions of the world.