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Deviation of Boron Concentration From Predictions Using Salinity in Coastal Environments
Author(s) -
Lee Kitack,
Lee ChangHo,
Lee JuHyeon,
Han InSeong,
Kim Miok
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2019gl082520
Subject(s) - alkalinity , salinity , seawater , estuary , environmental science , carbonate , oceanography , environmental chemistry , coastal sea , hydrology (agriculture) , chemistry , geology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
To test whether the established B/Cl ratio (0.2414 mg·kg –1 ·‰ –1 ) derived for the open ocean is applicable to coastal systems globally, we measured the B concentration and salinity of seawater samples ( n = 245) collected from the coastal waters of the Yellow, East China, and East Seas. We also measured the B concentration of freshwater samples ( n = 10) from six rivers discharging into these seas and analyzed along with the B concentrations of other rivers globally, obtained from literatures. Our results show that the supply of riverine B (2–6 μmol B/kg) did not discernably alter the B/Cl ratio in most estuarine systems. The impact of this riverine B input on the interconversion between total alkalinity ([HCO 3 – ] + 2[CO 3 2– ] + [B (OH) 4 – ] + others) and carbonate alkalinity ([HCO 3 – ] + 2[CO 3 2– ]) is less than a few micromoles per kilogram for most estuarine and coastal systems, although exceptions in the Baltic Sea do occur.