Seasonal and depth variations of copper,iron and nickel in ligurian coastal waters

The aim of this work is to study the seasonal variation of iron, copper and nickel in connection with those of other environmental parameters which characterize the coastal system studied; in particular, the phytoplankton biomass. Sampling was carried out from January to October with monthly periodicity, at a station 2 miles offshore of Portofino, Italy, to depths of 200 m.The results indicate that the concentrations of copper, iron and nickel in particulate matter show a marked increase compared to values reported in the literature for the open seawater of the Mediterranean. It is also possible to determine a relationship between the three metals and the seasonal and depth variations. In the particulate matter, there is a direct relationship between the phytoplankton biomass and the heavy metals in the photic layer.