On the distribution of iron and manganese at the sediment/water interface: thermodynamic versus kinetic control

Iron and manganese solubility at the sediment/water interface has been studied at a water depth of 20 m in Kiel Bight, Western Baltic. By means of an in situ bell jar system enclosing 3.14 m² sediment surface and 2094 l water a complete redox turn-over in the bottom water was simulated in an experiment lasting 99 days. The concentration of dissolved Fe in the bell jar water never exceeded 0.041 μmol · dm^?3during the first 50 days of the experiment and then rose abruptly as the Eh fell from +600 to ?200 mV. The concentration of dissolved Fe under oxic and anoxic conditions seems to be limited by equilibria with solid Fe-phases (hydroxides and amorphous sulphide, respectively). In contrast to Fe, manganese was released continuously from the bottom during the first 50 days of the experiment leading to exponentially increasing manganese concentrations in the bell jar water. During this time dissolved O₂ had become ready depleted and pH had dropped from 8.3 to 7.5. Contrary to iron, manganese being solubilized in reduced sediment layers can penetrate oxic strata in metastable form due to slow oxidation kinetics; when the redoxcline moves upwards Mn²⁺ is enriched in bottom waters. The maximum concentration of dissolved Mn under anoxic conditions is controlled by a solid phase with solubility properties similar to MnCO₃ (rhodochrosite). Bottom water enrichment in dissolved Mn²⁺ could be traced to originate from excess solid manganese within the top 3 cm of the sediment.