In seawater particulate organic matter (POM) serves as a food source for heterotrophic bacteria and zooplankton and is a source of dissolved organic compounds and nutrients. POM plays a critical role in transporting carbon to marine sediments where a fraction of it is buried in subsurface sediments and thus avoids conversion to carbon dioxide on shorter time scales.

Distribution and properties of POM were investigated in the Baltic Proper from 2013 to 2015. Particulate organic carbon (POC) was used to investigate POM sources and dynamics. Stable carbon isotopes (δ¹³C), elemental composition (C, N), chlorophyll a and POM contribution to suspended particulate matter (SPM) were also measured and interpreted. The water column exhibited concentrations ranging from 0.2 mg POC/l (deep water layer – DWL, cold season – CS) to 1.7 mg POC/l (surface water layer – SWL, warm season – WS). POM represented 0.15 to 0.45 of SPM during respective cold and warm seasons. Stable carbon isotopes (δ¹³C_POC) ranged from −22.5‰ (WS) to −28.0‰ (CS), while the POC/Chl a ratio ranged from 180 g/g (SWL-WS) to 300 g/g (DWL-CS). Seasonal changes were attributed to high primary production in the SWL during the WS, which represented a major POM source. Continuous mineralization/sedimentation throughout the water column constituted a major POM sink.

在海水中，颗粒有机物（POM）可作为异养细菌和浮游动物的食物来源，并且是溶解的有机化合物和营养物质的来源。POM在将碳运输到海洋沉积物中起着至关重要的作用，在海洋沉积物中，POM的一部分被掩埋在地下沉积物中，因此避免了在更短的时间内转化为二氧化碳。

从2013年至2015年在波罗的海适当地调查了POM的分布和性质。使用颗粒有机碳（POC）来调查POM的来源和动力学。稳定的碳同位素（δ ¹³ C），元素组成（C，N），叶绿素一个和悬浮颗粒物（SPM）POM贡献还测量和解释。水柱的浓度范围从0.2 mg POC / l（深水层– DWL，寒冷季节– CS）到1.7 mg POC / l（地表水层– SWL，温暖季节– WS）。在各个寒冷和温暖的季节，POM代表SPM的0.15至0.45。稳定的碳同位素（δ ¹³ C ^ _POC）介于-22.5‰（WS）至-28.0‰（CS），而POC /叶绿素一个比率范围从180 g / g（SWL-WS）到300 g / g（DWL-CS）。季节变化归因于WS期间SWL的高初级产量，这代表了POM的主要来源。整个水柱的连续矿化/沉淀作用构成了一个主要的POM汇。