Biogenic sulfur emissions from ocean

Biogenic Sulfur Emissions from the Ocean. The ocean is a source of many reduced sulfur compounds to the atmosphere. These include dimethylsulfide (DMS) (2.4.51. carbon disulfide (CS2) (28). hydrogen sulfide (H2S) (291. carbonyl sulfide (OCS) (30.311. and methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) ( ). The oxidation of DMS leads to sulfate formation. CS2 and OCS are relatively unreactive in the troposphere and are transported to the stratosphere where they undergo photochemical oxidation (22). Marine H2S and CH3SH probably contribute to sulfate formation over the remote oceans, yet the sea-air transfer of these compounds is only a few percent that of DMS (2). 

Summary of Biogenic Sulfur Emissions from the Ocean. To summarize the source fractionation patterns for biogenic sulfur emissions from the oceam a simple isotopic model has been constructed (Figure 1). From this, the S S value of sulfate from a marine biogenic source of atmospheric sulfur can be estimated. 

Oceans and the marine environment are the major source of biogenic sulfur. The reasons for this are the generally abundant phytoplankton in surface oceans and the areal extent of these waters. A summary of the emission rates of DMS, the major biogenic sulfur species in marine environments, is presented in Table IV. Estimates are included which were determined directly and from model calculations. 

The DMS emissions from the ocean represent a significant part of the global sulfur flux to the atmosphere. It might be of particular interest to find new reaction routes which couple biogenic emissions from the sea to the chemistry of tropospheric photooxidants by which important properties of the atmosphere are regulated. 

Another interesting example of the biological influence on atmospheric chemistry is provided by sulfur. Under natural conditions, sulfur compounds in the atmosphere are provided by the oceanic emission of dimethyl disulfide (DMS). This biogenic emission results from the breakdown of sulfoniopropionate (DMSP), which is thought to be used by marine phytoplankton to control their osmotic pre.ssure. The oxidation of DMS leads to the formation of sulfur dioxide, which is further converted to sulfate particles. As indicated above, these particles, by scattering back to space some of the incoming solar radiation, tend to cool the earth s surface. Their presence also affects the optical properties of the clouds, which introduces an indirect climatic effect. 

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