Abstract: The content and distribution of Ge is investigated in sediments from the Southern Ocean (Prydz Bay, Antarctica). The content of Getotal in the sediments ranges from 1.14×10-6 to 2.35×10-6 (average of 1.71×10-6) and the highest value occurs at station P3-9 where water depth is > 1 000 m. The lowest value occurs at station P4-13 which is near the edge of the Amery ice shelf. The surface sediments have 16%–68% Gebio within Getotal. The distribution trends of Gebio and Getotal are generally similar, and the values outside Prydz Bay are higher than within the bay, bounded at 67°S. The vertical distribution of Ge in sediment cores presents higher values at the surface than in underlying sediments. Values of Gebio appear to positively correlate with biogenic silica (BSiO2) in surface sediments from non-polynyas sea. The vertical distribution of Gebio and BSiO2 is similar in sediments of station P3-16.

Key words: Ge, sediment, Prydz Bay, Southern Ocean