| Atomic number: | 50 |
| Atomic weight: | 118.71 |
| Average concentration in ocean: | 4.2 pmol/kg |
| Residence time: | 5 years |
Distribution in ocean
The vertical profile of tin is
high at the surface and decreases with depth (data).
Speciation
Tin is present in the +IV oxidation state as SnO(OH)3- or
Sn(OH)40.
Residence time
The concentration and flux of tin in natural systems may be highly perturbed by
man, which makes residence times difficult to estimate. Scavenging rates
in the upper ocean suggest a half-life of 3.5 years (Byrd and Andreae, 1982),
and a residence time of 5 years, but this is likely to be an underestimate of
the whole ocean residence time.
Analysis
Tin is determined by hydride generation followed by flame photometry.
References & Notes