Partitioning of trace metals released from polluted marine aerosols in coastal seawater

Mobilization and transfer of atmospherically transported metals to major suspended particulate matter components in seawater have been studied in a multichamber leaching experiment. Data on the meteorological air mass history, enrichment factors and sequential extraction analysis indicate that the highly polluted marine aerosol samples collected on Helgoland are of anthropogenic origin. A significant fraction of the total cadmium (81%), zinc (58%), copper (41%), and lead (40%) was released in seawater within 1 h. When exposed to the aerosol and artificial suspended particulate matter components for another 100 h, a portion of the released metals ranging from 10 to 60% was readsorbed. Zinc and lead were scavenged by iron/manganese oxides or readsorbed by the aerosol particulates. Of the total scavenged copper portion 67% was bound to phytoplankton cell walls which evidences an ecological impact of the polluted marine aerosols even in the coastal environment.