COLLOIDAL ORGANIC-MATTER IN SEAWATER, POR E-WATER, AND BRINES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

The results of studying samples of seawater, pore water, and brines of the Tyro and Bannock basins in the southeastern Mediterranean are pre sented. Using the membrane ultrafiltration method, colloidal organic m atter (COM) was concentrated and separated into three fractions (coars e, medium, and fine) based on size and retained molecular mass. The in tensity of fluorescence and the concentrations of proteins and carbohy drates in COM were determined. Up to 70% of the protein, carbohydrate, and fluorescent organic substances in seawater are in colloidal form. In the bottom and pore waters of oxidized and weakly reduced sapropel ic sediments, the concentrations of proteins and carbohydrates vary fr om 8 to 268 mg/l and from 10 to 59 mg/l, respectively. The intensity o f fluorescence reaches 7.35 absolute units. At certain levels, up to 7 0-80% of the organic matter occurs in colloidal form.