PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF PHOSPHORUS AND ITS FORMS IN THE CONTINENTAL SHELF SEDIMENTS OFF SANTA CATARINA STATE, BRAZIL

Abstract

Distribuition of phosphorus in marine sediments have been recognized as a useful tool for the knowledgement of its geochemical cicle, that have been undergoing chances by human actions. Marine sediments represents the major reservoir of this constituint, where processes take place and control its disponibility to water column. Differents forms of phosphorus were determined by sequencial extrations in 27 samples of bottom sediment collected in the inner shelf off Santa Catarina. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribuition of phosphorus in the sequencial extrated frations and the relationship with sediment facies. The highest total phosphorus concentrations have been related to fine grained sediments. Although, there were some differences between samples with similar sedimentar patterns. Iron plus aluminium phosphate has been showed high concentrations in the neigborhood of river mounths, declining off shore. Calcium phosphate was the predominant form in most samples.