Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8871565 | Marine Pollution Bulletin | 2018 | 4 Pages |
Abstract
Marine phytoplankton is a primary producer in the ocean that forms the base of the marine food web and supports the pelagic food chain. The two dominant groups of phytoplankton observed in northern Gulf waters are diatoms and dinoflagellates. The diatoms outnumber dinoflagellates in the Gulf waters. This study presents baseline information on the concentration of 210Po among selected phytoplankton in the northern Gulf. The concentration among diatoms varies between 6.99 and 11.4â¯Bqâ¯kgâ1 wwt, whereas a higher concentration range of 8.51-15.41â¯Bqâ¯kgâ1 wwt was observed among dinoflagellates. The diatoms analyzed includes Thalassiosira spp. - 10.2-11.4â¯Bqâ¯kgâ1 wwt; Chaetoceros spp. - 6.99-7.14â¯Bqâ¯kgâ1 wwt; Rhizosolenia spp. - 9.12-9.95â¯Bqâ¯kgâ1 wwt. The analyzed dinoflagellate genera include Gymnodinium spp. - 8.51-8.78â¯Bqâ¯kgâ1 wwt; Noctiluca spp. - 15.2-15.4â¯Bqâ¯kgâ1 wwt; and Karenia spp. - 14.1-14.9â¯Bqâ¯kgâ1 wwt. The 210Po concentration in seawater shows a seasonal variation, with a higher concentration range of 0.70 and 0.58â¯mBqâ¯Lâ1 during summer and autumn, whereas a lower range in concentration of 0.38 and 0.30â¯mBqâ¯Lâ1 occurring during winter and spring. The resultant computed concentration factors vary between 2â¯ââ¯104-5â¯ââ¯104 demonstrating a significant 210Po enrichment in the base of the pelagic food chain.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Oceanography
Authors
S. Uddin, M. Behbehani, A.N. Al-Ghadban, S. Sajid, V. Vinod Kumar, L. Al-Musallam, W. Al-Zekri, M. Ali, S. Al-Julathi, M. Al-Murad, F. Alam,