Transparent exopolymer particles (TEPs) are ubiquitous throughout the oceans, and their sedimentation is considered an efficient biological carbon sink pathway. To investigate the role of coastal TEPs in sinking carbon from the upper layer, samples were collected in the spring and summer of 2011 in the Changjiang River (Yangtze River) Estuary, a typical coastal water. The concentrations and sinking rates of TEPs were measured, and potential sedimentation flux of TEPs was estimated. TEPs concentrations ranged from 40.00 µg/L to 1 040.00 µg/L (mean=(209.70±240.93) µg/L) in spring and 56.67 µg/L to 1 423.33 µg/L (mean=(433.33±393.02) µg/L) in summer, and they were higher at bloom stations than at non-bloom stations during both cruises. A significant positive correlation between TEPs concentration and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration was detected, suggesting that phytoplankton was the primary source of TEPs in this area. TEPs sinking rates ranged from 0.08 m/d to 0.57 m/d with a mean of (0.28±0.14) m/d in spring and 0.10 m/d to 1.08 m/d with a mean of (0.34±0.31) m/d in summer. The potential sedimentation flux of TEP-C ranged from 4.95 mg/(m²·d) to 29.40 mg/(m²·d) with a mean of (14.66±8.83) mg/(m²·d) in spring and 6.80 mg/(m²·d) to 30.45 mg/(m²·d) with a mean of (15.71±8.73) mg/(m²·d) in summer, which was ∼17.81% to 138.27% (mean=65.15%±31.75%) of sedimentation flux of phytoplankton cells in the study area. Due to the increase of TEPs concentrations and their sinking rates, sedimentation fluxes of TEPs at the bloom station were obviously higher than at the non-bloom station during both cruises. This study indicates that TEPs serve as a carbon sink in the Changjiang River Estuary, especially during bloom events, and their sedimentation should be taken into account when we study the carbon sedimentation in the coastal sea.

透明的外聚合物颗粒（TEP）在整个海洋中无处不在，其沉积被认为是有效的生物碳汇途径。为了研究沿海TEP在上层碳汇中的作用，2011年春季和夏季，在典型的沿海水域长江（长江）河口采集了样本。测量TEPs的浓度和下沉速率，并估算TEPs的潜在沉降通量。春季的TEP浓度范围为40.00 µg / L至1 040.00 µg / L（平均值=（209.70±240.93）µg / L），56.67 µg / L至1 423.33 µg / L（平均值=（433.33±393.02）µg / L ），在两次巡游期间，开花站的花色指数都高于非开花站的花色指数。TEPs浓度与叶绿素a之间呈显着正相关检测到（Chl a）浓度，表明浮游植物是该区域TEP的主要来源。TEP的下沉速率在春季范围内为0.08 m / d至0.57 m / d，平均值为（0.28±0.14）m / d，在0.10 m / d至1.08 m / d范围内的平均值为（0.34±0.31）m / d在夏天。TEP-C的电位沉降通量介于4.95毫克/（米² ·d）到29.40毫克/（米² ·d），平均（14.66±8.83）毫克/（米² ·d）在弹簧和6.80 mg /（m ² ·d）至30.45 mg /（m ² ·d），平均值为（15.71±8.73）mg /（m ²·d）在夏季，研究区域的浮游植物细胞沉降通量约为〜17.81％至138.27％（平均= 65.15％±31.75％）。由于TEPs浓度及其下沉率的增加，两次航行期间，开花站TEPs的沉降通量明显高于非开花站。这项研究表明，TEPs在长江口，特别是在开花期间，是碳汇，在研究沿海海域的碳沉积时应考虑它们的沉积。