The distribution of iodine and effects of phosphatization on it in the ferromanganese crusts from the Mid-Pacific Ocean

In the present paper, iodine (I), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) contents in three ferromanganese crusts from the Pacific Ocean are measured by spectrophotometric method and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometers (ICP-AES) to investigate the contents and distribution of iodine in ferromanganese crusts. The results show that iodine contents in three crusts vary between 27.1 and 836 mg/kg, with an average of 172 mg/kg, and the profile of iodine in the three crusts all exhibits a two-stage distribution zone: a young non-phosphatized zone and an old phosphatized zone that is rich in I, P and Ca. The iodine content ratios of old to young zone in MP5D44, CXD62–1 and CXD08–1 are 2.3, 3.4 and 13.7, respectively. The boundary depths of two-stage zone in MP5D44, CXD62–1 and CXD08–1 locate at 4.0 cm, 2.5 cm and 3.75 cm, respectively, and the time of iodine mutation in three crusts ranges from 17–37 Ma derived from 129I dating and Co empirical formula, which is consistent with the times of Cenozoic phosphatization events. The present study shows that the intensity of phosphatization is the main responsible for the distribution pattern of iodine in the crusts on the basis of the correlation analysis. Consequently, iodine is a sensitive indicator for phosphatization.