PHYSICO CHEMICAL PROCESSES OF SILICATES IN THE ESTUARIAL REGION——III. Preliminary In Situ Studies of the Mechanism of Reactive Silicate Removal in the Estuarial Region-The Distribution of Suspended Si, Fe, and Al.

In situ observations were conducted to verify the nrechanisrn and geochertrical pattern proposed previously by the authors. her ies of samples of suspended matter in estuarine waters wore collected along Jiulong River, Fujian. The part which can be dissolved by hot 0.43 N HCl was considered as the "anthigenie" inorganic silicate constituent of the suspended matter, and the filtrates were analyzed for reactive silicate, Fe and Al. the part of the residue whicki can be further dissolved by concentrated HNO₃and then by 0.48 N HCl was analyzed for reactive silicate and considered as the organic Si content of the suspended matter. It is assmned that the "authigenic" inorganic silica comes from the inorganic chemical removal of the reactive silicate from the water phase.