Magnesium Concentration in the Red Sea

SLACkra · 05/06/2018, 08:03 PM

Hello all. I'm trying to figure out what the typical magnesium concentrations are in the Red Sea. I've seen a couple references saying as low as 750 ppm!

Anybody else have any idea what typical magnesium levels are found in the red sea? I was expecting it to be higher given the Red Sea has a higher salinity than other parts of the ocean.

kind regards,

Andrew

SLACkra · 05/07/2018, 12:00 AM

Just thought I'd add that I got 742 ppm from this site: https://www.lenntech.com/composition-seawater.htm

That value seems to be based the following: "Water Desalination In The Arabian Gulf Region" by Prof. Ibrahim S. Al-Mutaz.

bertoni · 05/07/2018, 09:59 AM

I am not sure, but I'll try to locate my copy of Millero's book, in case he has some data. I would have guessed that it was higher, too.

Tripod1404 · 05/07/2018, 05:26 PM

There is something wrong on that list with the calcium and potassium as well.

SLACkra · 05/07/2018, 05:59 PM

Yeah the values just seem so wrong but I can't find any other values anywhere. I really appreciate any help figuring this one out.

bertoni · 05/08/2018, 10:16 PM

I'm busy with some business travel, so I won't be able to look until the weekend, but I might have access to some data. I'd be inclined to trust the numbers, personally.

SLACkra · 05/09/2018, 11:38 PM

Your efforts are greatly appreciated Bertoni, no rush at all. I'm very curious to see some numbers from an alternative source. The idea that the Red Sea has half the concentration of Mg and Ca and high levels of Na surprises me. Additionally I would have thought that if the values are indeed that low compared to other parts of the ocean that it would be reported on more and not so hard to research!

SLACkra · 05/13/2018, 09:55 PM

Bertoni, any luck finding that book?

bertoni · 05/14/2018, 10:26 PM

Not yet. I need to look tonight.

SLACkra · 05/15/2018, 02:49 AM

Thanks Bertoni. Hopefully any values you find match what I've just come across in a thesis paper by Aasim Musa Mohamed Ali titled "Sudanese Coastal Water -Composition and Some Environmental Aspects".

He measured an average Magnesium concentration of 1449.2 mg/l for the 5 stations he assessed and notes there was minimal spatial variation.

Here's a link to the pdf if you're interested:
http://bora.uib.no/bitstream/handle/.../100440918.pdf

bertoni · 05/27/2018, 01:00 PM

Well, I finally located my copy of Millero's book. It doesn't have magnesium numbers, but he has some discussion of calcium levels and salinity, if anyone is interested. I haven't gone through the various references. Sorry for the delay!

05/06/2018, 08:03 PM	#1
SLACkra Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 154	Magnesium Concentration in the Red Sea Hello all. I'm trying to figure out what the typical magnesium concentrations are in the Red Sea. I've seen a couple references saying as low as 750 ppm! Anybody else have any idea what typical magnesium levels are found in the red sea? I was expecting it to be higher given the Red Sea has a higher salinity than other parts of the ocean. kind regards, Andrew

05/07/2018, 09:59 AM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I am not sure, but I'll try to locate my copy of Millero's book, in case he has some data. I would have guessed that it was higher, too. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/08/2018, 10:16 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'm busy with some business travel, so I won't be able to look until the weekend, but I might have access to some data. I'd be inclined to trust the numbers, personally. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/14/2018, 10:26 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Not yet. I need to look tonight. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/27/2018, 01:00 PM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Well, I finally located my copy of Millero's book. It doesn't have magnesium numbers, but he has some discussion of calcium levels and salinity, if anyone is interested. I haven't gone through the various references. Sorry for the delay! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/07/2018, 12:00 AM	#2
SLACkra Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 154	Just thought I'd add that I got 742 ppm from this site: https://www.lenntech.com/composition-seawater.htm That value seems to be based the following: "Water Desalination In The Arabian Gulf Region" by Prof. Ibrahim S. Al-Mutaz.

05/07/2018, 05:26 PM	#4
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	There is something wrong on that list with the calcium and potassium as well.

05/07/2018, 05:59 PM	#5
SLACkra Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 154	Yeah the values just seem so wrong but I can't find any other values anywhere. I really appreciate any help figuring this one out.

05/09/2018, 11:38 PM	#7
SLACkra Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 154	Your efforts are greatly appreciated Bertoni, no rush at all. I'm very curious to see some numbers from an alternative source. The idea that the Red Sea has half the concentration of Mg and Ca and high levels of Na surprises me. Additionally I would have thought that if the values are indeed that low compared to other parts of the ocean that it would be reported on more and not so hard to research!

05/13/2018, 09:55 PM	#8
SLACkra Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 154	Bertoni, any luck finding that book?

05/15/2018, 02:49 AM	#10
SLACkra Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 154	Thanks Bertoni. Hopefully any values you find match what I've just come across in a thesis paper by Aasim Musa Mohamed Ali titled "Sudanese Coastal Water -Composition and Some Environmental Aspects". He measured an average Magnesium concentration of 1449.2 mg/l for the 5 stations he assessed and notes there was minimal spatial variation. Here's a link to the pdf if you're interested: http://bora.uib.no/bitstream/handle/.../100440918.pdf