Influence of trace element fluxes from submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) on their inventories in coastal waters off volcanic island, Jeju, Korea

The concentrations of trace elements in groundwater and seawater were measured in a coastal embayment (Bangdu Bay) of a volcanic island (Jeju) off the southernmost coast of Korea in August and December of 2009. The concentrations of trace elements (Al, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) in the groundwater in summer were approximately 20-fold higher than those in winter, with good correlation to each other. Overall, the concentrations of most of the trace elements in the groundwater were 3- to 70-fold higher than those in the seawater of this Bay. Simple budget calculations showed that large fluxes of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD)-driven trace elements were responsible for the unusually enhanced concentrations of trace elements (particularly for Al, Fe and Co) in the summer seawater. The results imply that the temporal changes in SGD-driven trace element fluxes are large and may contribute considerably to the budget of trace elements in the coastal ocean, particularly off a highly permeable volcanic island.

► SGD-driven trace element fluxes were significant in seawater off a volcanic island.
► Concentrations of trace elements in seeping groundwater were highest in summer.
► Fe, Al, and Co fluxes through SGD showed the largest contributions to seawater.
► SGD-driven trace element fluxes are important for marine biogeochemistry.