The Seasonal Variation in the Copper Content of Sea Water

Abstract

In previous papers (1932, 1933) the author showed that sea water taken from the English Channel contained about 10 mg./m.3 of copper, and obtained agreement between electro-deposition with subsequent colorimetric analysis and colorimetric analysis carried out on sea water concentrated to one-fifth of its volume. For extraction of the copper complex, carbon tetrachloride was found to be the most convenient solvent. The changes throughout the year have, however, only recently been determined. It is of interest to see that water from Station E1, surface, taken 23 March 1931, gave 10 mg./m.3 by direct colorimetry and 9·7 with electro-deposition, whereas the extraction method curves for 1948 and 1949, read off for the same date, showed respectively 9·4 and 11·4 mg./m.3.