The cycling of climatically active dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the marine euphotic zone: Biological and chemical constraints on the flux to the atmosphere
In this study, the author used a series of linked carbon-sulfur budget models to examine possible constraints on DMS production and sea-air flux. The results suggest that the cycling of DMS within the water column is complex and still poorly understood, with multiple biological processes controlling its production from DMSP, and rapid biological consumptions as well. It appears that there is often a much larger cycling of DMS within the water column than is evident from its flux to the atmosphere. Approximately 0.5% of the sulfate-S originally assimilated by phytoplankton was lost to the atmosphere as DMS. Although the constraint on DMS abundance may involve a near-balance between its biological production and consumption, there is still not adequate data to demonstrate this, and production of DMSP and its conversion to DMS remain one of the key rates to be measured in situ. [sup 14]C-DMS was consumed biologically with CO[sub 2] and particulate (cell) material the main products, in ratios typically about 2:1, suggestive of methylotrophy. Saturation was not observed up to 20 nM. Compared to a chloroform-inhibition method this method gave somewhat lower rate estimates. It was used to confirm that chloroform addition inhibits DMS consumption by 70-90%. The author found no evidence for production of methane or other volatile gases from DMS, and 100 [mu]M trimethylamine did not appear to inhibit consumption.
- Research Organization:
- Washington Univ., Seattle, WA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6649850
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
DIMETHYL SULFIDE
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBON CYCLE
METABOLISM
SULFUR CYCLE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WATER CHEMISTRY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
ECOSYSTEMS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SYNTHESIS
540311* - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- Radiometric Techniques- (1990-)
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)