Macroelements and Microelements in Marine Ecosystems: An Overview

In this chapter, aspects concerning the complexity of marine chemistry were discussed. In this scope, important reactions of metals and non-metals with inorganic and organic constituents of water and sediments were considered. In addition to these reactions, this chapter considers biokinetic aspects, which are responsible for very important regulations concerning the assimilation and biotransformation of many chemical elements. Finally, two major environmental problems (eutrophication due to the excessive supply of nitrogen and phosphorus, and release of organotin compounds and copper from antifouling paints used on ships’ hulls) were presented with the intention of discussing some forms in which uncontrolled introductions of metals and non-metals can change negatively the quality of marine ecosystems.

Keywords: Bioaccumulation, Essentiality, pE X pH Diagrams, Toxicity.