The retention of cadmium and zinc in appendicularian houses

The discarded houses of appendicularians can be important components of marine snow and might therefore be instrumental in mediating the vertical flux of metals from surface waters in oceanic ecosystems. Their significance in this regard depends on the retention of metals in these organic debris. Suggests that sinking appendicularian houses would not transport these metals to deep ocean waters but could contribute to their flux out of surface waters. -from Authors