DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER IN AN ANOXIC FJORD WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PRESENCE OF MERCAPTANS

Petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extraction of acidified sea water recovered some 40-60% of the dissolved organic carbon. Anoxic waters yielded 1·8-1·9 mg/l. of dissolved organic matter and oxygen-bearing water, 1·0-1·2 mg/l. Most of the polar organic constituents detected in the oxygen-bearing water were absent from the anoxic zone, and the carbon content of the extracted matter increased markedly with depth in the anoxic zone. On the basis of chromatographic behavior and spot tests the following classes of compounds were tentatively identified : sterols or sterol esters, choline-containing lipids, and ninhydrin-positive compounds. These were found in both oxygen-bearing and anoxic waters, while nonpolar and polar nonvolatile mercaptans were detected in the anoxic water. © 1968.