Observed variations in the strontium concentration of sea water

On samples obtained from five widely separated areas of the North Atlantic Ocean 91 determinations of strontium were made. These include surface and deep-water samples from both the cold North Atlantic area and the warm subtropical Caribbean area. The results differ from many of the previously reported values for strontium in sea water. It appears that the more correct value for soluble strontium in sea water is less than the commonly accepted figure of 8.0–8.2 mg/l and most likely lies between 7.2 and 7.8 mg/l. The use of an “average” figure for strontium in sea water should be discouraged as it is clear that the soluble strontium content in sea water does vary considerably; consequently the assumption of a “constant” strontium/chlorinity ratio in the ocean is in error.