Factors regulating the concentration of particulate iodine in coastal seawater

Sato, Yuhi*; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*  ; Suzuki, Takashi  ; Nakanishi, Takahiro   

To investigate the factors regulating the concentration of particulate iodine (PI) in seawater, it was measured in two Pacific coastal areas adjacent to Japan in two seasons along with parameters such as particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON), dissolved iodine (DI), and phytoplankton pigments. The dataset was divided in three groups namely, lower (Group A), average (Group B), and higher (Group C) atomic ratios of PI to POC (I/C). The three groups were characterized by phytoplanktonic physiological states as highly productive, steady, and senescent states, respectively. Based on the finding that PI production is associated with the phytoplankton physiological state, the seasonal and regional differences in PI concentration and I/C in the observation areas were consistently explained. Finally, we suggest that the phytoplanktonic physiological state is one of the vital factors regulating the PI concentration in seawater.