Call for abstracts for the Goldschmidt 2022 session on Trace Metal Speciation

Trace metals exhibit a wide range of chemical, physical, and biological reactivities (e.g. oxidation, precipitation, sorption, complexation, toxicity) depending on their chemical and physical speciation (e.g. ions, ion pairs, organic and inorganic complexes, colloids, suspended particles). Thus, the speciation of metals is of great importance not only to substantiate the geochemical fate of trace metals in the world’s ocean but also to estimate their availability and toxicity to marine biota. Geochemical interfaces are of particular interest because they exert a great control on trace metal cycling, fluxes, and rates and a full understanding of trace metal speciation along these boundaries is necessary for a more holistic understanding of the fate of trace metals in the marine environment. However, despite decades of marine trace metal research, we are still lacking knowledge of the speciation along geochemical interfaces (i) in space and time; (ii) the underlying driving processes; and (iii) their role for the global marine biogeochemical element cycles. Geochemical interfaces include sediment-water and atmosphere-water boundaries as well as regions with physicochemical gradients of density, redox conditions, temperature, pH, or salinity, such as hydrothermal systems, ground water discharges, deep sea environments, estuaries, and coastal embayments.

This session brings together transdisciplinary scientists, exploring trace metal speciation at various marine geochemical interfaces. We encourage contributions relating to novel analytical tools, modelling approaches, and laboratory-based experiments.