PHOSPHINE IN THE FLUVIAL AND MARINE HYDROSPHERE

Phosphine (PH3) has been found in bottom waters and surface and subsurface sediments of Hamburg Harbour (a freshwater area adjacent to the River Elbe), and of the German Bight (southeastern coastal area of the North Sea). At both sites phosphine in the pico mole range (0-12.5 x 10(-3) nM dm-3) could be detected in particles suspended in bottom waters. No phosphine at all was found in the water. In surficial (0-2 cm depth) and subsurficial (2-5 cm depth) sediments phosphine concentrations were 1.4-24.3 nM dm-3 and 0.4-71.6 x 10(-3) nM dm-3 in freshwater and marine samples, respectively.