The elemental composition of particulate matters in Bang Pakong River estuary, Thailand

Biological and chemical conditions were investigated at Bang Pakong River estuary, Thailand, where red tides were often occurred. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration, nutrients, particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON) and particulate phosphorus (PP) were determined on November 2002, as the preliminary survey, and November 2004. Moreover, the latter observation was conducted including with upper stream (salinity varied from 0-27psu). The average stoichiometric ratios of particulate matter (POC:PON:PP) which derived from the slope of linear regression between each C, N and P concentrations and Chl a concentration was discussed. Our results indicated that the major composition of particulate matter in Bang Pakong River originated from planktonic particulate materials. In Bang Pakong River system, nutrients originated in upper stream and ran toward to estuarine zone. In the cast of particulate organic matter, it was not produced by allochthonous detritus but derived from autochthonous planktonic materials