D. R. Hitchcock, M. Black
1984
Citations
0
Influential Citations
29
Citations
Journal
Atmospheric Environment
Abstract
Abstract The use of 34 S/ 32 S measurements to identify the source of atmospheric sulfur oxides was evaluated in a study conducted at a rural salt marsh. δ 34 S values of SO 2 and non sea salt SO 2− 4 collected on one side of a large salt marsh were compared with one another and with that of non sea salt SO 2− 4 collected 4 km away on the opposite side of the marsh. Associations between these values indicated that the measurements were extremely precise and accurate, and that the ground level sulfur cycle was dominated by H 2 S produced by bacterial sulfate reducers in anoxic marsh sediments. There was no isotopic evidence of the presence of transported pollutant SO 2− 4 at this location, although the sampled air masses had passed over very large sources of anthropogenic S and high Particulate V and Pb concentrations confirmed that these air masses were contaminated with pollutant effluents. Biogenic SO 2− 4 and SO 2 concentrations ranged up to 24.6 and 26μgm −3 , respectively, and were highest in modified marine-tropical air masses. Associations between concentrations of V and SO 2− 4 and between Pb and SO 2 suggested the participation of these trace metals (or constituents for which they function as tracers) in the atmospheric oxidation reactions of the sulfides.