Copper speciation in a tropical mangrove forest of Southeast Asia

Mangrove forests are vital ecosystems that protect coastlines, sequester carbon, and support diverse food webs. Elucidation of the behaviors of nutrients, trace elements, and organic matters in these regions is crucial to understand the impact of human activities and the potential effects of climate change. In this study, we revealed the distributions and bioavailability of a trace metal, copper (Cu), and conducted the first study of Cu speciation in a mangrove region in Southeast Asia. Dissolved Cu (dCu) concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 2.3 nmol L⁻¹ in the study region, which are relatively low compared to most other coastal regions globally. Two classes of Cu-binding organic ligands with average conditional stability constants, log K, of 15.5 and 13.2, respectively, were detected in mangrove waters. Complexing capacities of the ligands generally decrease in low salinity waters with low dCu concentrations. Concentrations of the stronger-binding class of organic ligand (L₁) were higher than those of dCu, reducing the bioavailable Cu²⁺ concentration to less than femtomolar levels, potentially inducing Cu-limitation to microorganism growth. To further understand the biogeochemical processes of trace metals in mangrove regions, future studies should prioritize obtaining baseline data using standardized sampling and analytical techniques to ensure consistent and reliable results.