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Dimethylsulfoxide and dimethylsulfone in the marine atmosphere
Author(s) -
Harvey George R.,
Lang Russell F.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl013i001p00049
Subject(s) - sulfur cycle , seawater , sulfur , atmosphere (unit) , dimethyl sulfide , flux (metallurgy) , environmental chemistry , distilled water , chemistry , environmental science , oceanography , meteorology , chromatography , geology , organic chemistry , physics
New isolation and detection methods were developed to measure dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and dimethylsulfone (DMSO 2 ) in marine rain and marine air masses. Central equatorial Pacific rain contained 1 to 10 µg/ℓ of each of these compounds. Uncontaminated air sampled off Miami contained 2 to 6 ng/m³ of each component. These concentrations suggest that DMSO and DMSO 2 may be as significant as dimethylsulfide (DMS) in marine sulfur transport. In fact, DMSO was observed to undergo disproportionation in illuminated seawater or distilled water to DMS and DMSO 2 . This latter observation implies a partially reversible loop in the sulfur transport cycle and complicates the calculation of the flux of sulfur into the marine boundary layer.