Chun-Ying Liu

Studies on the sea surface microlayer: II. The layer of sudden change of physical and chemical properties

Seawater samples of the sea surface microlayer were obtained from the ocean, coastal waters, and laboratory imitation experiments adopting glass plate, rotating drum, screen, and funnel samplers. The result was that surface microlayer samples of thickness 50 microm could be taken, not by the popular screen and funnel techniques, but by glass plate or rotating drum techniques. The layer of sudden change of physical and chemical properties in the surface microlayer was found at 50 microm below the sea-air interface. These physical and chemical properties included tens of physical and chemical parameters, such as concentrations of organic matter, nutrients, and dissolved trace metals, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand chlorophyll-a, surface tensions, and pH. Therefore, it was suggested that the layer of sudden change of physical and chemical properties in surface seawater should serve as a basis for defining the sea surface microlayer should, and be regarded as the practical operational thickness of the sea surface microlayer. The apparent sampling thickness of the sea surface microlayer from surface seawater should be 50+/-10 microm.

Protective function of nitric oxide on marine phytoplankton under abiotic stresses

As an important signaling molecule, nitric oxide (NO) plays diverse physiological functions in plants, which has gained particular attention in recent years. We investigated the roles of NO in the growth of marine phytoplankton Platymonas subcordiforms and Skeletonema costatum under abiotic stresses. The growth of these two microalgae was obviously inhibited under non-metal stress (sodium selenium, Na2SeO3), heavy metal stress (lead nitrate, Pb(NO3)2), pesticide stress (methomyl) and UV radiation stress. After the addition of different low concentrations of exogenous NO (10(-10)-10(-8) mol L(-1)) twice each day during cultivation, the growth of these two microalgae was obviously promoted. Results showed that NO could relieve the oxidative stresses to protect the growth of the two microalgae. For different environmental stress, there is a different optimum NO concentration for marine phytoplankton. It is speculated that the protective effect of NO is related to its antioxidant ability.

Evidence for the mutual effects of dimethylsulfoniopropionate and nitric oxide during the growth of marine microalgae.

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and nitric oxide (NO) in marine microalgae are considered as two important compounds involved in a variety of physiological functions. We examined the NO responses and the growth of Isochrysis galbana Parke and Gymnodinium sp. when supplemented with different concentrations of DMSP solutions in the cultures. Production of DMSP and dimethylsulfide (DMS) in Amphidinium carterae and Emiliania Huxleyi was investigated after the addition of NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and NO solution to algal media. The release peaks of NO were observed in cell suspensions of I. galbana Parke and Gymnodinium sp. immediately after the injection of DMSP solutions. The growth of these two microalgae was found to be significantly promoted or inhibited caused by exogenous DMSP. There was a decrease of DMSP concentrations in algal cultures within 24 h, accompanied with an increase in DMS, due to the effect of NO. The results provided direct evidence to confirm that there exist mutual effects of DMSP and NO during the growth of marine microalgae, which is speculated to be related to their roles as signaling molecules in planktonic communities.

Biogeochemistry of dimethylsulfoniopropionate, dimethylsulfide and acrylic acid in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea during autumn

Environmental context Dimethylsulfide (DMS) is a climatically important biogenic trace gas that is emitted from oceans. This research focuses on the spatiotemporal distributions of DMS and its related compounds, i.e. dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and acrylic acid (AA), and the influencing factors in the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea during autumn. In addition, the sea-to-air flux of DMS, kinetic responses of DMSP consumption as well as DMS and AA production are also investigated. This study is helpful in understanding the marine sulfur cycle in marginal seas in China. Abstract The biogeochemistry of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), dimethylsulfide (DMS) and acrylic acid (AA) in the Yellow Sea (YS) and the Bohai Sea (BS) was investigated in November 2013. The concentrations (and ranges) of total DMSP (DMSPt), dissolved DMSP (DMSPd), DMS and AA in surface waters were 30.71 (1.07–122.50), 6.60 (0.85–35.67), 1.48 (0.53–5.32) and 42.2 (13.8–352.8) nmol L–1 respectively. The concentrations of DMSPd and AA were positively correlated with chlorophyll-a levels, which suggests that phytoplankton biomass has an important function in controlling DMSPd and AA distributions. Furthermore, DMS and AA concentrations revealed significant positive relationships with DMSPd concentrations. The average ratios of AA/(DMSP+AA) and DMS/AA were 53.98 and 7.62% respectively. The vertical profiles of DMSP, DMS and AA were characterised by high concentrations that mostly occur near the surface. Even under highly variable hydrographic conditions, a positive relationship was observed between DMSPt and chlorophyll-a concentrations. The rates of DMSPd consumption, as well as DMS and AA production, significantly varied with marine environments. The sea-to-air fluxes of DMS from the YS and the BS to the atmosphere were estimated to be in the range of 3.01 to 6.91μmol m–2day–1.

Chemical Characteristics of Aerosol Composition over the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea in Autumn

AbstractThe total suspended particulate (TSP) samples over the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea were collected to determine the major compositions of water-soluble ionic species during two cruises in autumn 2007. The aerosol compositions exhibited an obvious regional variation between the two cruises, with higher concentrations (except Na+ and Mg2+) over the northern Yellow Sea during the first cruise. The concentrations of the secondary ions [non–sea salt sulfate (nss-), , and ] were 11 ± 4.9, 3.1 ± 2.1, and 3.7 ± 2.6 μg m−3, respectively, which together contributed over 72% of the total determined ion concentrations. Significant correlations between these secondary ions were found within each sampling period, while nss-K+ and nss-Ca2+ showed strong correlation with each other. The calculated results of equivalent concentrations of anions (nss- and ) and cations ( and Ca2+) showed that the acidic species were mostly neutralized with the alkaline species over the study areas. The mass ratio of nss-/ was ...

Direct Measurement of Nitric Oxide in Seawater Medium by Fluorometric Method

The determination of nitric oxide (NO) concentration in seawater medium by fluorometric method has been investigated, based on the reaction that 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) has the ability to trap NO to yield the highly fluorescent 2,3-naphthotriazole (NAT). The optimum conditions, such as fluorometric determination conditions (λex = 383 nm, λem = 410 nm), the influence of temperature and equilibrium time on the DAN trapping NO, and the influence of DAN solution on trapping NO, have been examined. The fluorometric intensity is linear with the NO concentration in the range of 1.4–1400 nM with a R2 of 0.9985 (P < 0.0001). The limit of detection is 1 nM (S/N = 3), the relative standard deviation is 1.63% (NO, 14 nM), and there is no interference from the medium. Compared with fluorescence determination of NO concentration in NaOH medium, this method decreases the limit of detection by one order of magnitude. Combining the purge-and-trap operation, the NO concentration of seawater in Shilaoren of Qingdao (36°05′46″N; 120°29′40″E) was detected to be (0.12 ± 0.01) nM. The method can also be applied to monitor the self-releasing NO change of sodium nitroprusside in seawater.

Distributions and Relationships of CO 2 , O 2 , and Dimethylsulfide in the Changjiang (Yangtze) Estuary and Its Adjacent Waters in Summer

The distributions and relationships of O2, CO2, and dimethylsulfide (DMS) in the Changjiang (Yangtze) Estuary and its adjacent waters were investigated in June 2014. In surface water, mean O2 saturation level, partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2), and DMS concentrations (and ranges) were 110% (89%–167%), 374 μatm (91–640 μatm), and 8.53 nmol L−1 (1.10–27.50 nmol L−1), respectively. The sea-to-air fluxes (and ranges) of DMS and CO2 were 8.24 μmol m−2 d−1 (0.26–62.77 μmol m−2 d−1), and −4.7 mmol m−2 d−1 (−110.8-31.7 mmol m−2 d−1), respectively. Dissolved O2 was oversaturated, DMS concentrations were relatively high, and this region served as a sink of atmospheric CO2. The pCO2 was significantly and negatively correlated with the O2 saturation level, while the DMS concentration showed different positive relationships with the O2 saturation level in different water masses. In vertical profiles, a hypoxic zone existed below 20 m at a longitude of 123°E. The stratification of temperature and salinity caused by the Taiwan Warm Current suppressed seawater exchange between upper and lower layers, resulting in the formation of a hypoxic zone. Oxidative decomposition of organic detritus carried by the Changjiang River Diluted Water (CRDW) consumed abundant O2 and produced additional CO2. The DMS concentrations decreased because of low phytoplankton biomass in the hypoxic zone. Strong correlations appeared between the O2 saturation level, pCO2 and DMS concentrations in vertical profiles. Our results strongly suggested that CRDW played an important role in the distributions and relationships of O2, CO2, and DMS.