Distribution of total dissolved and C18 extractable copper and nickel in relation to dissolved organic matter sources, in the Thermaikos Gulf (eastern Mediterranean)

Organically complexed and total dissolved copper and nickel were measured in the Thermaikos Gulf waters during winter 1998. Total concentrations ranged from 1.13 nmol/L to 7.02 nmol/L for copper and from 3.04 nmol/L to 9.50 nmol/L for nickel. The C18 Sep-Pak solid phase extraction technique was used in order to determine the amount of copper and nickel complexed with the hydrophobic component of the dissolved organic matter (DOM). Up to 32.4% of total copper and 4.57% of total nickel were complexed with the DOM extracted by C18. By applying HPLC analysis it was shown that the majority of the organic compounds retained by C18 had intermediate to low polarity. Using the absorbance ratio a254/a436 it was possible to unravel that humic substances of both terrestrial and marine origin were present in the Thermaikos Gulf and their distribution followed the dilution of riverine waters. Moreover our results indicated that organic binding of both Cu and Ni was stronger with the hydrophobic compounds of terrestrial origin than with those of marine origin.