Methanesulfonic acid emissions

Methanesulfonic acid, although it comprises a relatively small fraction of total non sea-salt aerosol sulfur, has been shown (2) to be a ubiquitous component of marine aerosols. Its occurrence and distribution have been suggested as of use as an in situ tracer (3.4) for oceanic emissions and subsequent reaction and deposition pathways of organosulfur compounds and dimethyl sulfide in particular. 

Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations in remote marine regions may be controlled by dimethylsulfide, CH3SCH3 (DMS), emissions from marine phytoplankton (Charlson et al., 1987). After DMS is emitted from the ocean, it undergoes photochemical oxidation via a series of gas-phase reactions (OH radical and NO, radical) to produce, as major sulfur-containing products, methanesulfonic acid, CH3S03H (MSA), and S02 (Yin et al., 1990a, b Jensen et al., 1991, 1992 Tyndal and Ravishankara, 1991). 

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