Distribution of dissolved trace elements in the northwest Pacifi c marginal seas around the KoreanPeninsula

Abstract

The horizontal and vertial distributions of trace elements (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, andREEs) were investigated in the water column of both the East/Japan Sea (EJS) of the UlleungBasin (UB) and the Yellow Sea (YS) reagion, the marginal seas of westernmost part of NorthPacifi c. Overall, as a brief result, the distribution patterns of trace elements in our study regionwere appeared to be affected by the large external sources such as i) shelf input; in the caseof the Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cd in 1,000-1,500m, and REEs in 500-1,000m and/or ii) atmosphericinput (from surrounding continent); in the case of the Pb in >50m iii) benthic diffusive input; inthe case of the Mn, Fe, Co, Cu in bottom laye (>2,000m) superimposed on iv) rapid physicalprocess (i.e., rapid water ventilation of <50 yrs); in the case of the Yellow Sea region, allelements showed a vertically conservative distribution. The Cd plot for nutrients (PO, Si) inthe East/Japan Sea (EJS) was particularly effi cient compared to other major ocenas, and&apos;kinks&apos; appeared in Zn plot. Above all, some trace elements (Fe, Mn, and V) were noticeablyhigher in the bottom layer due to the high benthic input. The benthic fl uxes of these elementsalso be quantifi ed based on the gradient of vertical distribution in the bottom layer.