Atmospheric dry deposition of water-soluble organic matter: An underestimated carbon source to the coastal waters in North China

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2022-04, Vol.818, p.151772-151772, Article 151772
• Main Authors: Xie, Lei, Gao, Xuelu, Liu, Yongliang, Yang, Bo, Lv, Xiaoqing, Zhao, Jianmin, Xing, Qianguo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerosols - analysis; Air-sea process; Atmosphere - analysis; Carbon - analysis; Carbon cycle; China; Ecological effects; Fluorescent components; Optical properties; Seawater - analysis; Water - analysis
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151772

Water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) is a ubiquitous group of organic compounds in the atmosphere, which plays an important role in the biogeochemical cycle. To determine the quantity and chemical composition of the dry deposition of WSOM and assess its ecological effects on the coastal waters around the Yangma Island, North Yellow Sea, total suspended particulates (TSP) samples collected at a coastal site for one year from December 2019 to November 2020 were analyzed. The concentration of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and the spectroscopy of chromophoric dissolvable organic matter (CDOM) and fluorescent dissolvable organic matter (FDOM) in the samples showed highly temporal variability with higher values in winter and spring than in summer and autumn. In addition, the correlation analysis revealed that the content of WSOM in the TSP as well as its chemical composition were greatly influenced by the sources and aging processes of aerosols. Moreover, the dry deposition flux of WSOC to the study area was calculated to be 0.79 ± 0.47 mg C m−2 d−1, namely 1.91 × 108 g C yr−1, which could increase the annual average concentration of dissolved organic carbon in surface seawater by 10.2 μmol L−1, implying that the dry deposition could sustain the secondary production and affect the carbon cycle of the coastal waters. Besides, the complete decomposition of bioavailable WSOC of dry deposition could reduce the annual average concentration of dissolved oxygen in surface seawater by 4.8 μmol L−1, which could contribute partly to the seawater deoxygenation in the coastal area around the Yangma Island. [Display omitted] •Dry deposition is an important source of DOC in seawater of the study area.•WSOC in dry deposition could sustain secondary production of the surface seawater.•Seawater deoxygenation was partly related to the decomposition of WSOC from dry deposition.•Refractory WSOC from dry deposition could serve as carbon sink in the seawater.