38
GORDON A. RILEY
Most of the naturally occurring aggregates also contain particles
which appear to be clay. This is particularly true of inshore collections
but generally can be seen in oceanic material as well. X-ray diffraction
analysis of Long Island Sound material showed clear evidence of clays.
More remarkable, sodium chloride was present, although the material
had been well washed before analysis. Moreover, one occasionally sees
crystals in organic aggregates which appear to be sodium chloride.
Wangersky (1965) described experiments which may help to explain
these strange results. He prepared solutions of each of the major sea
water salts in distilled water and bubbled them. The inorganic material
was carried into the air above the water surface as an aerosol and fell
back as a collection of fine crystals which floated on the surface until
they gradually redissolved.
I n another series he found a sudden increase in the yield of inorganic
material together with appreciable yields of organic carbon. Further
investigation showed that the distilled water contained organic material
which apparently was the result of a spring diatom flowering in a local
reservoir and had survived treatment with alkaline permanganate and
triple distillation.
These and other experiments suggested that crystals of any of the
sea salts might be stabilized by the adsorption of organic skins, possibly
of denatured protein. Indeed it would be difficult to account for the
large inorganic content of the particles in any other way. This is
particularly true in the case of flakes produced by experimental
bubbling of filtered water, although even there the possibility exists of
a contribution by inorganic solids that are small enough to pass the
filters which are ordinarily used. The truth of the matter awaits further
analysis.
Wangersky’s theory about the process of particle formation is a
little different from the one postulated by Sutcliffe et al. (1963) which
will be described later. Experimental evidence will be introduced
which will require further modification of present viewpoints. However, these theories are not mutually exclusive, and the later discussion
will attempt to pull the evidence together into a generalized picture
which fits all of the available facts.
Organic particulate matter is of considerable potential interest to
geochemists. Sebba (1962) described a process which he called ion
flotation, whereby bubbling air through a solution contsining surfaceactive organic materials resulted in the concentration of ions in particulate matter formed in the foam. He demonstrated that aluminium,
uranium, alkaline earths, iron, nickel, and traces of other metals could
be concentrated in this way.
GORDON A. RILEY
Most of the naturally occurring aggregates also contain particles
which appear to be clay. This is particularly true of inshore collections
but generally can be seen in oceanic material as well. X-ray diffraction
analysis of Long Island Sound material showed clear evidence of clays.
More remarkable, sodium chloride was present, although the material
had been well washed before analysis. Moreover, one occasionally sees
crystals in organic aggregates which appear to be sodium chloride.
Wangersky (1965) described experiments which may help to explain
these strange results. He prepared solutions of each of the major sea
water salts in distilled water and bubbled them. The inorganic material
was carried into the air above the water surface as an aerosol and fell
back as a collection of fine crystals which floated on the surface until
they gradually redissolved.
I n another series he found a sudden increase in the yield of inorganic
material together with appreciable yields of organic carbon. Further
investigation showed that the distilled water contained organic material
which apparently was the result of a spring diatom flowering in a local
reservoir and had survived treatment with alkaline permanganate and
triple distillation.
These and other experiments suggested that crystals of any of the
sea salts might be stabilized by the adsorption of organic skins, possibly
of denatured protein. Indeed it would be difficult to account for the
large inorganic content of the particles in any other way. This is
particularly true in the case of flakes produced by experimental
bubbling of filtered water, although even there the possibility exists of
a contribution by inorganic solids that are small enough to pass the
filters which are ordinarily used. The truth of the matter awaits further
analysis.
Wangersky’s theory about the process of particle formation is a
little different from the one postulated by Sutcliffe et al. (1963) which
will be described later. Experimental evidence will be introduced
which will require further modification of present viewpoints. However, these theories are not mutually exclusive, and the later discussion
will attempt to pull the evidence together into a generalized picture
which fits all of the available facts.
Organic particulate matter is of considerable potential interest to
geochemists. Sebba (1962) described a process which he called ion
flotation, whereby bubbling air through a solution contsining surfaceactive organic materials resulted in the concentration of ions in particulate matter formed in the foam. He demonstrated that aluminium,
uranium, alkaline earths, iron, nickel, and traces of other metals could
be concentrated in this way.