Significant portion of dissolved organic Fe complexes in fact is Fe colloids

• Published in: Marine Chemistry
• Main Authors: Boye, Marie, Nishioka, Jun, Croot, Peter, L., Laan, Patrick, Timmermans, K.R., Strass, Volker H., Takeda, Shigenobu, de Baar, H. J. W.
• Other Authors: Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin (LEMAR) (LEMAR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Institute of Low Temperature Science Sapporo, Hokkaido University Sapporo, Japan, Leibniz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften (IFM-GEOMAR), Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung = Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research = Institut Alfred-Wegener pour la recherche polaire et marine (AWI), Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft = Helmholtz Association, Department of Aquatic Bioscience, The University of Tokyo (UTokyo)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2010
• Subjects: Iron; Size fractionation; Complexation; Southern Ocean; [SDE]Environmental Sciences
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00669727; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2010.09.001

International audience Vertical distributions of iron and iron binding ligands were determined in 2 size classes (dissolved < 0.2 μm, soluble < 200 kDa, e.g., ~ 0.03 μm) in the Southern Ocean. Colloidal iron and complexing capacity (> 200 kDa-< 0.2 μm) were inferred as the difference between the dissolved and soluble fractions. Dissolved iron and ligands exist primarily in the soluble size range in the surface waters, although iron-complexing colloids still represent a significant portion of the dissolved pool and this fraction increases markedly with depth. This work presents evidence for the colloidal nature of a significant portion (37-51% on average) of the 'dissolved' organic Fe pool in these oceanic waters. From the data it was not possible to discern whether iron colloids exist as discrete organic complexes and/or inorganic amorphous colloids. Iron-complexing colloids are the most saturated with iron at the thermodynamic equilibrium, whereas soluble organic ligands occur in larger excess compared to soluble iron. It suggests that the exchangeable fraction for iron uptake through dissociation of Fe complexes likely occurs in the soluble fraction, and that soluble ligands have the potential to buffer iron inputs to surface waters whereas iron colloids may aggregate and settle. Expectations based on Fe diffusion rates, distributions and the stability of the soluble iron complexes and iron colloids also suggest that the weaker soluble Fe complexes may be more bio-available, while the strongest colloids may be a major route for iron removal from oceanic waters. Investigations of the size classes of the dissolved organic iron thus can significantly increase our understanding of the oceanic iron cycle.