Effect of natural and synthetic organic-Fe(III) complexes in an estuarine mixing model on iron uptake and growth of a coastal marine diatom, Chaetoceros sociale

Cell growth of a coastal marine diatom, Chaetoceros sociale, in the presence of different premixed organic-Fe(III) complexes EDTA-Fe(III) (100:1 and 2:1), citric-Fe(III) (100:1) and fulvic-Fe(III) (0.1, 0.2 and 1 ppm C)] and solid amorphous hydrous ferric oxide am-Fe(III) or Fe(III) hydroxide] were experimentally measured in culture experiments at 10 °C under 3000 lux fluorescent light. Fulvic-Fe(III) (0.1 and 0.2 ppm C) and citric-Fe(III) (100:1) induced maximal cell yields of C. sociale. The order of cell yields was: fulvic-Fe(III) (0.1 and 0.2 ppm C) ≥ citric-Fe(III) (100:1) > EDTA-Fe(III) (2:1) ≫ solid am-Fe(III) > EDTA-Fe(III) (100:1) ≫ fulvic-Fe(III) (1 ppm C). The short-term iron uptake rates by C. sociale in fulvic-Fe(III) (0.1 and 0.2 ppm C) and citric-Fe(III) (100:1) media were about five to six times faster than those in EDTA-Fe(III) (100:1) and solid am-Fe(III) media. The dissociative precipitation rates of premixed organic-Fe(III) complexes in seawater at 10 °C were determined by simple filtration (0.025 μm) involving γ-activity measurements of ⁵⁹Fe. The order of estimated initial Fe(III) dissociative precipitation rates of these organic-Fe(III) complexes in seawater were nearly consistent with those of cell yields in the culture experiments and short-term iron uptake rates by C. sociale except for fulvic-Fe(III) (1 ppm C) medium]. In fulvic-Fe(III) (0.1 and 0.2 ppm C), citric-Fe(III) (100:1) and EDTA-Fe(III) (2:1) media, the concentrations of dissolved organic-Fe(III) complexes in initial culture experiments are prone to supersaturate under the culture conditions. The supersaturated dissolved organic-Fe(III) complex in seawater supplies biologically available inorganic Fe(III) species in culture media through its dissociation at high pH and high levels of seawater cations. Therefore, the natural dissolved organic-Fe(III) complexes supplied by riverine input may play an important role in supplying bioavailable iron in estuarine mixing system and coastal waters. Received: 6 September 1998 / Accepted: 8 April 1999