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O silício encontra-se no meio marinho nas formas: dissolvida e particulada (biogênica e litogênica). O ciclo biogeoquímico deste elemento está sujeito à influência sazonal e às alterações antrópicas. Este trabalho visa entender a relação entre as diferentes formas de silício como resposta a processos de origem natural e antrópica em diferentes ambientes (Estreito de Bransfield, Antártica; Complexo Estuarino-Lagunar de Cananeia-Iguape, SP; região costeira de Recife, PE). O Estreito de Bransfield pela sua localização remota é das áreas estudadas, a menos impactada pelo homem. A região nordeste do Estreito mostrou menores concentrações de silicato na superfície associadas à menor diversidade fitoplanctônica, constituída por diatomáceas do gênero Corethron que facilitam o afundamento de Si e a remineralização do C e N. Já na região sudoeste do Estreito a concentração de silicato foi maior, assim como a influência do degelo, que contribui para uma maior disponibilidade de ferro, indicada pelo traçador Si*, aumentando a diversidade fitoplanctônica. Nesta região também houve a presença de espécies que facilitam o afundamento de C e N e a remineralização de Si. O Complexo Estuarino-Lagunar de Cananeia-Iguape, apresentou sinais de impacto antrópico sobretudo no setor norte (Iguape), mostrado pelas diferentes frações do silício que foram excelentes indicadores de processos erosivos. No setor sul a influência antrópica não foi observada, assim o silício indicou processos de origem natural como a sedimentação, evidenciada pela remoção do BSi e do LSi, e a ressuspensão onde as concentrações das frações particuladas foi maior. A região costeira de Recife está sob a influência dos aportes fluviais provenientes dos rios Capibaribe e Beberibe. A distribuição da maioria dos parâmetros, incluindo o silicato e o BSi, mostraram esta influência vinda de oeste, atingindo a barreira na saída do porto e se propagando em direção a nordeste. Devido ao maior aporte de nutrientes nas estações mais próximas à costa a produção primária foi incentivada, evidenciada pelos maiores valores de clorofila-a e BSi. Nas estações mais distantes da costa os parâmetros tiveram valores característicos de áreas oligotróficas, com as frações de silício mostrando concentrações bastante baixas. O silício se mostrou um excelente indicador de aportes continentais naturais e antrópicos. São poucos os trabalhos que quantificam o BSi e o LSi no meio aquático, assim este estudo consiste em um ponto inicial para o entendimento do silício particulado em águas brasileiras. / Silicon is found in the marine environment under the forms: dissolved and particulate (biogenic and lithogenic). The biogeochemical cycle of this element is subject to seasonal influences and anthropogenic changes. This work aims to understand the relationship between different forms of silicon in response to processes of natural and anthropogenic origin in different environments (Bransfield Strait, Antarctica; Cananeia-Iguape Estuarine-Lagoon Complex, SP ; coastal region of Recife, PE) . The Bransfield Strait is, of the studied areas, the least impacted by man, because of its remote location. The northeastern Strait region showed lower silicate concentrations associated with lower phytoplankton diversity, consisting of diatoms of the genus Corethron that facilitate sinking af Si and remineralization of C and N. In the southwestern region of the Strait silicate concentration was higher, as well as the influence of thaw, which contributes to increased iron availability, indicated by Si* tracer, that increases phytoplankton diversity. In this region there was also the presence of species that facilitate the sinking of C and N and the remineralization of Si. Cananeia-Iguape Estuarine -Lagoon Complex, showed signs of anthropogenic impact especially in the northern sector (Iguape), showed by silicon different fractions, which were excellent indicators of erosion processes. In the southern sector, anthropogenic influence was not observed. Silicon indicated processes of natural origin, like sedimentation, evidenced by the removal of BSi and LSi, and resuspension where concentrations of particulate fractions was higher. The coastal region of Recife is under influence of fluvial inputs from Capibaribe and Beberibe rivers. The distribution of most parameters, including silicate and BSi, showed this influence coming from the west, reaching the barrier at the port exit and propagating toward northeast. Due to higher nutrient availability in the stations nearest to the coast, primary production was encouraged, evidenced by high values of chlorophyll-a and BSi. In the stations more distant to the coast, the parameters had values characteristic of oligotrophic areas , with the forms of silicon showing very low concentrations. Silicon proved to be an excellent indicator of continental natural and anthropogenic contributions. There are few studies that quantify the BSi and LSi in the aquatic environment, therefore this study is a starting point for understanding particulate silicon in Brazilian waters.

Les concentrations en silice dissoute (DSi) et silice particulaire biogène (BSi) ont été mesurées pendant une année complète (en 2003) dans la zone tidale de la rivière Escaut et dans ses tributaires aux limites tidales. Alors que la DSi est restée, dans les tributaires, à des concentrations élevées toute au long de l’année, et que la BSi s’est maintenue à des concentrations faibles, la DSi a été entièrement consommée pendant l’été dans la rivière tidale et les concentrations en BSi ont augmenté. En comparant ces concentrations avec celles de la biomasse des diatomées et de la matière en suspension, il a pu être estimé que la majeure partie de la BSi en été était associée aux diatomées vivantes. Des bilans de masse de la DSi et de ces deux fractions de BSi ont été effectués sur différentes zones de la rivière tidale pendant la période durant laquelle les diatomées se développent (période productive, Mai à Octobre). Ceci a permis l’estimation de la croissance et de la mortalité des diatomées, ainsi que de la sédimentation nette de la BSi durant cette période : la moitié de la DSi apportée par les rivières a été transformée en BSi dans la rivière tidale, et la rétention de la silice y a atteint un tiers des apports fluviaux en silice “totale” (TSi = DSi + BSi). Les flux annuels de silice ont aussi été calculés pour replacer à une échelle annuelle les résultats obtenus pendant la période productive : les rétentions annuelles de DSi et la de TSi ne s élevèrent respectivement qu’à 14 et 6 %. L’échantillonnage de l’estuaire a été effectué sur l’ensemble du gradient de salinité au cours de 11 campagnes réparties sur trois ans (de 2003 à 2005). Du fait du mélange des eaux douces et marines, les concentrations en DSi diminuèrent toujours de l’amont vers l’aval, mais les profils étaient généralement convexes ou concaves. Ils ont été interprétés en les comparant avec ceux obtenus à l’aide de la modélisation du transport conservatif. Les flux à l’embouchure ont aussi pu être recalculés, ce qui a permis de quantifier la consommation ou le relargage de DSi au sein de l’estuaire : un maximum de consommation a été observé au printemps, mais l’estuaire a été une source nette de DSi d’août à décembre. A l’échelle annuelle, 28 % des apports de DSi à l’estuaire ont été consommés. La comparaison des profils de BSi avec ceux de la biomasse des diatomées et ceux de la matière en suspension indiqua que la plupart de la BSi dans l’estuaire était détritique (c’est-à-dire non associée aux diatomées vivantes). Ces résultats ont été confirmés par des expériences d’incorporation de silice radioactive qui, bien que la méthodologie soit complètement différente, apportèrent des résultats comparables. La dynamique complexe de la BSi a donc pu être interprétée à l’aide de celle déjà bien étudiée de la matière en suspension dans l’estuaire de l’Escaut, et un bilan de masse de la BSi dans l’estuaire a pu être établi à partir d’un bilan pour la matière en suspension obtenu de la littérature. En plus de la production de diatomées, l’estuaire a reçu presque autant de BSi de la rivière tidale que de la zone côtière. Ceci induisit que la rétention de TSi dans l’estuaire (59 %) a été plus importante que celle de la DSi. Au final, le système tidal de l’Escaut apparaît comme un filtre important pour la silice : les rétentions globales de DSi et TSi dans ce système s’élevèrent respectivement à 39 et 61 %. La comparaison des dynamiques de la silice dans la rivière tidale et dans l’estuaire mit en évidence l’importance du rôle de l’estuaire. La consommation de DSi et la déposition de BSi par unité de surface étaient certes plus intenses dans la rivière tidale mais, à l’échelle de l’écosystème, les effets y furent limités du fait de sa faible surface comparée à celle de l’estuaire. L’une des observations les plus importantes de cette étude est celle de l’apport net de BSi à l’estuaire depuis la zone côtière, ce qui induisit une importante rétention estuarienne de la silice. Les différences importantes entre les rétentions de DSi et de TSi mettent ainsi en évidence la nécessité de prendre en compte la dynamique de la BSi dans l’étude de celle de la silice. De plus, l’importance de la BSi détritique implique que la dynamique de la BSi ne peut être étudiée de part l’observation seule de celle des diatomées. Enfin, l’apport net de BSi vers l’estuaire à l’embouchure, ainsi que l’origine en grande partie marine des diatomées se développant dans l’estuaire, soulignent l’importance de prendre en compte l’importance des échanges à l’embouchure pour le fonctionnement biogéochimique de la silice dans l’estuaire ; l’estuaire ne doit pas être vu comme un simple filtre à sens unique des espèces dissoutes et particulaires provenant uniquement des rivières en amont.

Le but général de ce travail fut de quantifier la silice biogène (BSiO2) dans les sédiments du continuum de l'Escaut (estuaire – zone côtière), ainsi que son taux de recyclage - rétention. Le coefficient de diffusion moléculaire de la DSi a été déterminé pour différentes valeurs de température et deux salinités et une relation empirique reliant le coefficient de diffusion à la température et à la viscosité de la solution a été établie. La distribution longitudinale de la BSiO2 dans les sédiments de surface, ainsi que les profils verticaux de BSiO2 et de silice dissoute ont été déterminés durant différentes saisons en 2004 et 2005. Les flux de DSi ont été également estimés via des expériences d’incubations et par modélisation des profiles verticaux de DSi. Des expériences de dissolution des sédiments ont permis de déterminer (via modélisation) les constantes cinétiques de vitesse de la BSiO2 et une première évaluation du taux de recyclage de la BSiO2 (5 – 70%). Sur base des calculs à partir des profiles de DSi dans l’eau interstitielle, le taux de recyclage de la BSiO2 varie entre 8 et 92% dans l’estuaire, ce qui correspond à une rétention moyenne de la BSiO2 supérieure à 60%, et souligne ainsi l'efficacité du filtre estuarien par rapport à la silice. En revanche, le recyclage de BSiO2 dans la zone côtière apparaît comme très intensif, avec des valeurs souvent supérieures à 40%. Ces résultats montrent l'importance d'inclure les estuaires dans le calcul des budgets globaux de Si. / The general objective of this study was to quantify the BSiO2 in the sediments of the Scheldt continuum, together with its recycling and retention in this area. First an empirical relation linking the diffusion coefficient of DSi to temperature and salinity was determined, via diffusion experiments. The longitudinal BSiO2 distribution in surface sediments and the vertical BSiO2 and DSi profiles in sediment cores where then measured during 2 years and different seasons, together with other parameters characterizing pore waters, such as alkalinity, pH, sulphate… DSi fluxes were also estimated either directly through whole core incubations measurements or via modelling of interstitial water profiles. BSiO2 dissolution experiments allowed the evaluation of the kinetic rate constants also through modelling of the results, and gave preliminary information over the BSiO2 recycling rates (5 – 70%). The recycling rate as obtained from pore water profiles vary between 8 and 92%, with an average value of about 32%, which highlights the importance of the estuarine filter for silica. Recycling is much more intense in the coastal area, with values up to 40%, which we explain by higher salinity and higher sediment permeability. The different experiments and results also indicated that secondary mineral precipitation might be and important process affecting BSiO2 in the Scheldt sediments.

O silício encontra-se no meio marinho nas formas: dissolvida e particulada (biogênica e litogênica). O ciclo biogeoquímico deste elemento está sujeito à influência sazonal e às alterações antrópicas. Este trabalho visa entender a relação entre as diferentes formas de silício como resposta a processos de origem natural e antrópica em diferentes ambientes (Estreito de Bransfield, Antártica; Complexo Estuarino-Lagunar de Cananeia-Iguape, SP; região costeira de Recife, PE). O Estreito de Bransfield pela sua localização remota é das áreas estudadas, a menos impactada pelo homem. A região nordeste do Estreito mostrou menores concentrações de silicato na superfície associadas à menor diversidade fitoplanctônica, constituída por diatomáceas do gênero Corethron que facilitam o afundamento de Si e a remineralização do C e N. Já na região sudoeste do Estreito a concentração de silicato foi maior, assim como a influência do degelo, que contribui para uma maior disponibilidade de ferro, indicada pelo traçador Si*, aumentando a diversidade fitoplanctônica. Nesta região também houve a presença de espécies que facilitam o afundamento de C e N e a remineralização de Si. O Complexo Estuarino-Lagunar de Cananeia-Iguape, apresentou sinais de impacto antrópico sobretudo no setor norte (Iguape), mostrado pelas diferentes frações do silício que foram excelentes indicadores de processos erosivos. No setor sul a influência antrópica não foi observada, assim o silício indicou processos de origem natural como a sedimentação, evidenciada pela remoção do BSi e do LSi, e a ressuspensão onde as concentrações das frações particuladas foi maior. A região costeira de Recife está sob a influência dos aportes fluviais provenientes dos rios Capibaribe e Beberibe. A distribuição da maioria dos parâmetros, incluindo o silicato e o BSi, mostraram esta influência vinda de oeste, atingindo a barreira na saída do porto e se propagando em direção a nordeste. Devido ao maior aporte de nutrientes nas estações mais próximas à costa a produção primária foi incentivada, evidenciada pelos maiores valores de clorofila-a e BSi. Nas estações mais distantes da costa os parâmetros tiveram valores característicos de áreas oligotróficas, com as frações de silício mostrando concentrações bastante baixas. O silício se mostrou um excelente indicador de aportes continentais naturais e antrópicos. São poucos os trabalhos que quantificam o BSi e o LSi no meio aquático, assim este estudo consiste em um ponto inicial para o entendimento do silício particulado em águas brasileiras. / Silicon is found in the marine environment under the forms: dissolved and particulate (biogenic and lithogenic). The biogeochemical cycle of this element is subject to seasonal influences and anthropogenic changes. This work aims to understand the relationship between different forms of silicon in response to processes of natural and anthropogenic origin in different environments (Bransfield Strait, Antarctica; Cananeia-Iguape Estuarine-Lagoon Complex, SP ; coastal region of Recife, PE) . The Bransfield Strait is, of the studied areas, the least impacted by man, because of its remote location. The northeastern Strait region showed lower silicate concentrations associated with lower phytoplankton diversity, consisting of diatoms of the genus Corethron that facilitate sinking af Si and remineralization of C and N. In the southwestern region of the Strait silicate concentration was higher, as well as the influence of thaw, which contributes to increased iron availability, indicated by Si* tracer, that increases phytoplankton diversity. In this region there was also the presence of species that facilitate the sinking of C and N and the remineralization of Si. Cananeia-Iguape Estuarine -Lagoon Complex, showed signs of anthropogenic impact especially in the northern sector (Iguape), showed by silicon different fractions, which were excellent indicators of erosion processes. In the southern sector, anthropogenic influence was not observed. Silicon indicated processes of natural origin, like sedimentation, evidenced by the removal of BSi and LSi, and resuspension where concentrations of particulate fractions was higher. The coastal region of Recife is under influence of fluvial inputs from Capibaribe and Beberibe rivers. The distribution of most parameters, including silicate and BSi, showed this influence coming from the west, reaching the barrier at the port exit and propagating toward northeast. Due to higher nutrient availability in the stations nearest to the coast, primary production was encouraged, evidenced by high values of chlorophyll-a and BSi. In the stations more distant to the coast, the parameters had values characteristic of oligotrophic areas , with the forms of silicon showing very low concentrations. Silicon proved to be an excellent indicator of continental natural and anthropogenic contributions. There are few studies that quantify the BSi and LSi in the aquatic environment, therefore this study is a starting point for understanding particulate silicon in Brazilian waters.

The goal of this research is to understand the impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the 1970-1980 IXTOC-I oil spill and other anthropogenic activity (e.g. dam construction) on surface water primary productivity by measuring sedimentary biogenic silica. It is known that sedimentary biogenic silica is distinct from mineral – bound silica, therefore it has been used as a proxy record for surface water primary productivity (e.g. diatom blooms). The Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in a widespread Marine Oil Snow Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation (MOSSFA) event. The IXTOC-I oil spill was one of the largest oil spills in history and it is likely that the MOSSFA event occurred as a direct result. MOSSFA is characterized by increased deposition of surface derived components and dramatic changes in post-depositional chemical (redox) and biological (benthic meio- and macro-fauna) conditions. Sedimentary biogenic silica provides an independent record of the surface derived portion of MOSSFA inputs. Occurrences of MOSSFA after IXTOC-I and Deepwater Horizon were compared by collecting sediment cores from the northern Gulf of Mexico (Deepwater Horizon) and the southern Gulf of Mexico (IXTOC-I). An age model for each core was developed using short-lived radioisotopes (i.e. 210Pbxs). Sedimentary biogenic silica was significantly elevated in sedimentary intervals affected by the Deepwater Horizon spill. This suggests that a significant portion of the surface biological materials entrained during the MOSSFA event were sourced by diatom production. However, only one core (of three from the oil spill influenced area utilized in this study) from shallower depth had elevated levels of sedimentary biogenic silica in the sedimentary interval associated with IXTOC-I. Also, the down-core profiles of sedimentary biogenic silica from the other cores collected in the southern Gulf of Mexico are consistent with the history of dam construction (1949 to 1989) on the Grijalva and Papaloapan river systems. These two river systems are the dominant freshwater and nutrient sources for primary production in the Bay of Campeche region in the southern Gulf of Mexico and therefore the dominant control on diatom productivity and sedimentary biogenic silica distribution. Consequently, distribution of annual fresh water outflow and nutrient supply has transitioned from seasonal (before 1940’s) to stable (after 1980’s). Overall, sedimentary biogenic silica provides an independent record of surface derived MOSSFA inputs and serves as a proxy for other anthropogenic influences related to surface primary productivity variability.

Increased amounts of available biomass residues from agricultural food production are present widely around the globe. These biomass residues can find essential applications as bioenergy feedstock and precursors to produce value-added materials. This study assessed the production of biogenic silica (SiO2) from different biomass residues in Africa, including cornhusk, corncob, yam peelings, cassava peelings and coconut husks. Two processes were performed to synthesize the biogenic silica. First, the biomass fuels were chemically pre-treated with 1 and 5% w/v citric acid solutions. In the second stage, combustion at 600 °C for 2 h in a muffle oven was applied. The characterization of the untreated biomasses was conducted using Inductively coupled plasma—optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), thermal analysis (TG-DTA) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The resulting ashes from the combustion step were subjected to ICP, nitrogen physisorption, Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD). ICP results revealed that the SiO2 content in the ashes varies between 42.2 to 81.5 wt.% db and 53.4 to 90.8 wt.% db after acidic pre-treatment with 1 and 5 w/v% acid, respectively. The relative reductions of K2O by the citric acid in yam peel was the lowest (79 wt.% db) in comparison to 92, 97, 98 and 97 wt.% db calculated for corncob, cassava peel, coconut husk and cornhusk, respectively. XRD analysis revealed dominant crystalline phases of arcanite (K2SO4), sylvite (KCl) and calcite (CaCO3) in ashes of the biomass fuels pre-treated with 1 w/v% citric acid due to potassium and calcium ions present. In comparison, the 5 w/v% citric acid pre-treatment produced amorphous, biogenic silica with specific surface areas of up to 91 m2/g and pore volumes up to 0.21 cm3/g. The examined biomass residues are common wastes from food production in Africa without competition in usage with focus application. Our studies have highlighted a significant end-value to these wastes by the extraction of high quality, amorphous silica, which can be considered in applications such as catalyst support, construction material, concrete and backing material.

This work introduces a cost and time efficient procedure to specifically increase mesopore volume and specific surface area of biogenic silica (specific surface area: 147 m2 g−1 and mesopore volume: 0.23 cm3 g−1) to make it suitable for applications in adsorption or as catalyst support. The target values were a specific surface area of ∼500 m2 g−1 and a mesopore volume of ∼0.40–0.50 cm3 g−1 as these values are industrially relevant and are reached by potential concurring products such as precipitated silica, silica gel, and fumed silica. The applied process of partial pseudomorphic transformation was carried out as a single reaction step in a microwave reactor instead of commonly used convective heating. In addition, the conventionally used surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) was substituted by the low-cost surfactant (Arquad® 16-29, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTACl) aqueous solution). The influence of microwave heating, type of surfactant as well as the concentration of NaOH and CTACl on the textural and structural properties of the modified biogenic silica was investigated using nitrogen adsorption as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the textural parameters of the modified biogenic silica can be exactly controlled by the amount of NaOH in the reaction solution. By variation of the NaOH concentration, specific surface areas in the range of 215–1,001m2 g−1 andmesopore volumes of 0.25–0.56 cm3 g−1 were achieved after reaction at 393 K for 10min. The presented microwave route using the low-cost surfactant solution decreases the reaction time by 99% and as shown in an example for German prices, lowers the costs for the surfactant by 76–99%.

Natural archives such as lake sediments allow us to assess contemporary ecosystem responses to climate and environmental changes in a long-term context beyond the few decades to at most few centuries covered by monitoring or historical data. To achieve a comprehensive view of the changes preserved in sediment records, multi-proxy studies – ideally in high resolution – are necessary. However, this combination of including a range of analyses and high resolution constrains the amount of material available for analyses and increases the analytical costs. Infrared spectroscopic methods are a cost-efficient alternative to conventional methods because they offer a) a simple sample pre-treatment, b) a rapid measurement time, c) the non- or minimal consumption of sample material, and d) the potential to extract quantitative and qualitative information about organic and inorganic sediment components from a single measurement. The main objective of this doctoral thesis was twofold. The first part was to further explore the potential of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and visible-near infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy in paleolimnological studies as a) an alternative tool to conventional methods for quantifying biogenic silica (bSi) – a common proxy of paleoproductivity in lakes – in sediments and b) as a tool to infer past lake-water total organic carbon (TOC) levels from sediments. In a methodological study, I developed an independent application of FTIR spectroscopy and PLS modeling for determining bSi in sediments by using synthetic sediment mixtures with known bSi content. In contrast to previous models, this model is independent from conventional wet-chemical techniques, which had thus far been used as the calibration reference, and their inherent measurement uncertainties. The second part of the research was to apply these techniques as part of three multi-proxy studies aiming to a) improve our understanding of long-term element cycling in boreal and arctic landscapes in response to climatic and environmental changes, and b) to assess ongoing changes, particularly in lake-water TOC, on a centennial to millennial time scale. In the first applied study, high-resolution FTIR measurements of the 318-m long sediment record of Lake El’gygytgyn provided a detailed insight into long-term climate variability in the Siberian Arctic over the past 3.6 million years. Highest bSi accumulation occurred during the warm middle Pliocene (3.6-3.3 Ma), followed by a gradual but variable decline, which reflects the first onset of glacial periods and then the finally full establishment of glacial–interglacial cycles during the Quaternary. The second applied study investigated the sediment record of Torneträsk in subarctic northern Sweden also in relation to climate change, but only over the recent post-glacial period (~10 ka). By comparing responses to past climatic and environmental forcings that were recorded in this large-lake system with those recorded in small lakes from its catchment, I determined the significance and magnitude of larger-scale changes across the study region. Three different types of response were identified over the Holocene: i) a gradual response to the early landscape development following deglaciation (~10000-5300 cal yr BP); ii) an abrupt but delayed response following climate cooling during the late Holocene, which occurred c. 1300 cal yr BP – about 1000-2000 years later than in smaller lakes from the area; and iii) an immediate response to the ongoing climate change during the past century. The rapid, recent response in a previously rather insensitive lake-ecosystem emphasizes the unprecedented scale of ongoing climate change in northern Fennoscandia. In the third applied study, VNIR-inferred lake-water TOC concentrations from lakes across central Sweden showed that the ongoing, observed increase in surface water TOC in this region was in fact preceded by a long-term decline beginning already AD 1450-1600. These dynamics coincided with early human land use activities in the form of widespread summer forest grazing and farming that ceased over the past century. The results of this study show the strong impact of past human activities on past as well as ongoing TOC levels in surface waters, which has thus far been underestimated. The research in this thesis demonstrates that infrared spectroscopic methods can be an essential component in high-resolution, multi-proxy studies of past environmental and climate changes.

L’objectif principal de cette thèse est de mieux comprendre les différents facteurs contrôlant la pompe biologique de carbone en Atlantique Nord et dans l’Océan Austral, à proximité des îles Kerguelen, en utilisant notamment deux approches: le Thorium-234 (234Th) et le baryum biogénique (Baxs).En Atlantique Nord, les flux d’export de carbone organique particulaire (POC) augmentent lorsqu’ils sont associés à des minéraux biogéniques (silice biogénique et carbonate de calcium) et lithogènes, capable de lester les particules. L’efficacité d’export, généralement plus faible que précédemment supposé (< 10%), est inversement corrélée à la production, soulignant un décalage temporel entre production et export. La plus forte efficacité de transfert, i.e. la fraction de POC atteignant 400m, est reliée à des particules lestées par du carbonate de calcium ou des minéraux lithogènes.Les flux de reminéralisation mésopélagique sont similaires ou parfois supérieurs aux flux d’exports et dépendent de l’intensité du développement phytoplanctonique, de la structure en taille, des communautés phytoplanctoniques et des processus physiques (advection verticale).Comme observé pour le POC, l’export des éléments traces est influencé par les particules lithogènes provenant des marges océaniques, mais aussi des différentes espèces phytoplanctoniques.Dans l’Océan Austral, la zone à proximité de l’île de Kerguelen est naturellement fertilisée en fer, augmentant les flux d’export de fer, d’azote et de silice biogénique. Il a été démontré que la variabilité des flux dépendait des communautés phytoplanctoniques dans la zone fertilisée. / The main objective of this thesis is to improve our understanding of the different controls that affect the oceanic biological carbon pump. Particulate export and remineralization fluxes were investigated using the thorium-234 (234Th) and biogenic barium (Baxs) proxies.In the North Atlantic, the highest particulate organic carbon (POC) export fluxes were associated to biogenic (biogenic silica or calcium carbonate) and lithogenic minerals, ballasting the particles.Export efficiency was generally low (< 10%) and inversely related to primary production, highlighting a phase lag between production and export. The highest transfer efficiencies, i.e. the fraction of POC that reached 400m, were driven by sinking particles ballasted by calcite or lithogenic minerals.The regional variation of mesopelagic remineralization was attributed to changes in bloom intensity, phytoplankton cell size, community structure and physical forcing (downwelling). Carbon remineralization balanced, or even exceeded, POC export, highlighting the impact of mesopelagic remineralization on the biological pump with a near-zero, deep carbon sequestration for spring 2014.Export of trace metals appeared strongly influenced by lithogenic material advected from the margins. However, at open ocean stations not influenced by lithogenic matter, trace metal export rather depended on phytoplankton activity and biomass.A last part of this work focused on export of biogenic silica, particulate nitrogen and iron near the Kerguelen Island. This area is characterized by a natural iron-fertilization that increases export fluxes. Inside the fertilized area, flux variability is related to phytoplankton community composition.