An electron microprobe study of the relationships between heavy metals and manganese and iron in soils and ocean floor nodules

Abstract

Six soils, six manganese nodules derived from soils and two ocean floor nodules were analysed by electron microprobe techniques to determine inter-element relationships. Cobalt was related to manganese in all samples, and a considerable fraction of the total cobalt in the soils was associated with the manganese oxides. Nickel was related to manganese in all of the nodules and some of the soils. In the soils, although the concentrations of nickel were highest in the manganese oxides, a large proportion of the total nickel was actually associated with the iron oxides. Copper and particularly zinc accumulated in the iron oxides in the soils, but in the nodules these elements were associated with either manganese or iron, and in some cases with neither.