| Popis: |
The implication by Murthy and Ferrell (1972) that interstitial water studies are in a confused state is criticized on the basis that the authors have not drawn on a considerable body of data, especially Soviet studies since the 1950's, and results of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. Pressure filtration systems for extracting interstitial waters are currently the methods of choice for marine studies and have achieved substantial reliability and reproducibility. Although gaps and problems remain, many aspects of inter- stitial composition of marine sediments have been clarified; these include the substantial constancy of composition of interstitial waters in deep sea pelagic deposits, depletion of interstitial cations owing to authigenic mineral formation in more rapidly accumulated (especially terrigenous) sediments, and special phenomena in sediments overlying salt deposits. Murthy and Ferrell (1972) obtained differences in the composition of interstitial solutions from Gulf of Mex- ico sediments by dilution and centrifuging and by pres- sure filtration techniques. They interpreted their results in terms of failings of the pressure squeezing technique of Reeburgh (1967). I suggest that the prob- lem may be the other way around. I also wish to offer clarification of the impression left by Murthy and Fer- rell (1972) that knowledge of interstitial waters of mar- ine sediments is in a rather anarchic state, especially with regard to methodological validity. This appears to be necessary because the above authors, as well as some previous workers who have contributed to the subject, appear to be unacquainted with, or have not availed themselves of a great deal of information that has been accumulated in the field of interstitial water studies. The extensive studies of Russian workers since the 1950's and the interstitial water program of the Deep Sea Drilling Project are particular cases in point. The present considerations also apply to a subsequent paper by the above authors (Murthy and Ferrell, 1973). |
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