Selective transmission of airborne bacterial communities from the ocean to the atmosphere over the Northern Pacific Ocean

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2024-12, Vol.957, p.177462, Article 177462
• Main Authors: Jang, Jiyi, Park, Jiyeon, Hwang, Chung Yeon, Gim, Yeontae, Park, Ki-Tae, Yoon, Young Jun, Seo, Minju, Lee, Bang Yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerosolization mechanisms; Aerosols - analysis; Air Microbiology; Atmosphere - chemistry; Atmospheric microbial ecology; Bacteria - classification; Bioaerosols; Environmental Monitoring; Ocean-atmosphere interaction; Pacific Ocean; Seawater - microbiology; Taxonomic diversity
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177462

This study simultaneously measured the taxonomic diversity of bacterial communities in both seawater and PM2.5 aerosol samples collected from the Northern Pacific Ocean during a cruise covering 7724 km between 37°N 126°E and 58°N 179°E. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Firmicutes were found to be more prevalent in aerosol samples (39 ± 16 %, 5.1 ± 1.9 %, and 3.2 ± 1.7 %, respectively) than in seawater samples (26 ± 9 %, 3.8 ± 1.7 %, and 0.02 ± 0.09 %, respectively). The preferential aerosolization of bacterial communities such as Proteobacteria and Firmicutes was likely to be accompanied by a terrestrial origin and high hydrophobicity. Cyanobacteria could undergo increased aerosolization, possibly because of their smaller size in the significantly higher salinity open ocean (32.8 ± 0.14 PSU) compared to those in lower salinity coastal areas (31.3 ± 1.4 PSU). The results of this study indicated that bacterial properties substantially affect their transfer from the ocean to the atmosphere, possibly influencing climate change and public health. [Display omitted] •Bacterial diversity in seawater and PM2.5 measured over 7724 km in Pacific Ocean.•Proteobacteria and Firmicutes aerosolize due to terrestrial origin and hydrophobic properties.•Cyanobacteria aerosolized more in high-salinity open ocean due to smaller size.