Vanadium behaviour in the global ocean and in the Mediterranean sea

Total vanadium concentration has been determined on 4 vertical profiles in the Atlantic Ocean, 4 in the Pacific and 2 in the Mediterranean Sea. The respective mean concentrations are 35 ± 3, 32 ± 3 and 49 ± 4 nmol kg −1. The Atlantic to Pacific increase of 10 to 15 nmol kg −1 is interpreted as due to a recycling phase related to the phosphate cycle, in agreement with particle studies. In the Mediterranean Sea the possible occurrence of a large authigenic scavenging may explain why vanadium does not accumulate.