Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

SS08 Processes at the Benthic Interface (Environmental Connections)

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001, Time: 10:15:00 AM

Location: Ruidoso/Pecos

Hannides, A, K, Marine Sciences Research Center, State University of New York, Stony Brook, USA, hannides@msrc.sunysb.edu

Aller, R, C, Marine Sciences Research Center, State University of New York, Stony Brook, USA,

IMPACT OF MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDE MATRICES ON DIFFUSION OF DISSOLVED SUBSTANCES IN MARINE SEDIMENTS

Experiments were performed using diaphragm diffusion cells and spectrofluorometric techniques to elucidate differential behavior of dissolved substances diffusing through biogenic mucopolysaccharide matrices in marine sediments. The matrices under study included pedal mucus from the naticid gastropod Polinices duplicatus and burrow wall lining of the ampharetid polychaete Melinna cristata. Matrices are semi-permeable and cause relative inhibition or enhancement of diffusion rates (approx. 2X) for both inorganic and organic solutes, depending on solute size and charge.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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