Jet drop enrichment of bacteria,virus, and dissolved organic material

Four parameters that control the enrichment of bacteria in jet drops are bubble scavenging, drop size, drop position in the jet set, and the type of bacteria. Without the scavenging of bacteria as a bubble rises through the water it is doubtful that the observed enrichment factors, EF, greater than 1000 could be obtained. There is a maximum in EF as a function of top jet drop size, and the EF decreases from the top to the bottom drop of the jet set. The efficiency by which bubbles scavenge bacteria varies with species. Presumably these parameters apply in some degree to the EF of virus in jet drops. Dissolved organic material in natural waters can adsorb to bubbles and contribute to a large EF in jet drops, but there is a feedback mechanism whereby changes in bubble surface free energy modify the jet drop-size distribution. However, there is reason to believe this will not significantly influence the jet drop-size distribution produced by bubbles in the sea.