Trace elements and stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in fish from deep-waters of the Sulu Sea and the Celebes Sea

Biomagnification of trace elements in a benthic food web: the case study of Deer Island (Northern Yellow Sea)

“…Thus, δ 15 N can be used to characterise the trophic level of an organism in a food chain. In contrast, the ratio of 13 C/ 12 C (δ 13 C) only slightly increases around 1‰ in a predator relative to its diet [26]. Therefore, it is preferentially used to evaluate the ultimate carbon sources in a trophic network.…”

Variation of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in the Sulu and Celebes Seas of Malaysian waters during PMSE 09’ expedition using analytical and chemometric techniques

“…Sulu Sea is a marginal sea, encompassed by the Borneo Island in the north-east and the Philippine Islands in the southern-west. This deep basin which covers approximately 250,000 km 2 area [11] is isolated from South China Sea, Celebes Sea and Philippine Sea by shallow sills of less than 400 m depth [11][12][13]. The obstruction caused by the sills provides a pure marine water column system of Sulu Sea on the vertical profile of physical, chemical and biological processes.…”

“…It is a semi closed marginal sea surrounded by Borneo, Mindanao, Sulu, Sangihe and Sulawesi Islands. Celebes Sea consists of 4800 m to 5400 m water depth, covering approximately 380,000 km 2 area [11,14]. Goals of this research were to define the level of REEs in the Borneo Island coastal waters as well as to define the correlation of water parameters with existing REEs spatially and via vertical profiling.…”

“…Vertical profiling of REEs concentration with depth did not show any distinctive vertical distribution pattern due to water samples were collected at the surface layer of the seas, i.e.less than 200m deep. According to[11], a marine basin is classified as a deep sea if its water layer is more than 200m. Besides that, in the surface water layer, the distribution of REEs tends to mix up and it will only show a stable reading once the deep water layer is reached[11][12]25].…”

“…According to[11], a marine basin is classified as a deep sea if its water layer is more than 200m. Besides that, in the surface water layer, the distribution of REEs tends to mix up and it will only show a stable reading once the deep water layer is reached[11][12]25]. In contrast, on the 25m water layer, particulate REEs were proved to originate from geogenic sources whereas the dissolved REEs showed an anthropogenic behavior.…”