J. W. Swinnerton

Production of Carbon Monoxide and Gaseous Hydrocarbons in Seawater: Relation to Dissolved Organic Carbon

Carbon monoxide, ethylene, and propylene were produced in illuminated, cell-free distilled water or natural seawater systems to which dissolved organic matter produced by phytoplankton had been added. Methane and the higher saturated gaseous hydrocarbons were not produced. In the dark, little or no carbon monoxide and no hydrocarbons were produced in the distilled water systems; only carbon monoxide was produced in natural seawater, but less was produced than in the light.

The Ocean: A Natural Source of Carbon Monoxide

The surface waters of the western Atlantic are supersaturated with respect to the partial pressure of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. Under these conditions, the net transport of carbon monoxide across the air-sea interface must be from the sea into the atmosphere. Thus, the ocean appears to act as a source of carbon monoxide. The ocean may be the largest known natural source of this gas, contributing possibly as much as 5 percent of the amount generated by burning of fuels by man.

Gaseous Hydrocarbons in Sea Water: Determination

Low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons in the Cl to C4 range have been detected and measured in sea water. Methane shows by far the highest concentration, followed in order by the C2, C3, and C4 fractions. In general, the concentration tends to decrease with depth, but there is a strong indication that a maximum may exist about 30 to 50 meters below the surface.

Carbon Monoxide in Rainwater

Concentrations of carbon monoxide in rainwater collected at widely diverse locations show up to a 200-fold supersaturation relative to the partial pressure of the gas in the atmosphere. These results indicate the existence of an additional natural source of carbon monoxide not heretofore considered. Production of carbon monoxide in clouds is tentatively attributed to the photochemical oxidation of organic matter or the slight dissociation of carbon dioxide induced by electrical discharges, or both. Methane concentrations measured in the same rainwater show that the partitioning of this gas, unlike that of carbon monoxide, is very close to a state of equilibrium.

Carbon monoxide concentrations in surface waters of the east tropical pacific in 1974: comparison with earlier values

Abstract Concentrations of carbon monoxide were measured in the surface waters of the east tropical Pacific during a cruise aboard USNS “Hayes” from Ecuador to Panama via Hawaii and Tahiti in the late winter and early spring of 1974. Data comparisons were made for time spans of 1.3–3.7 years at several locations where the cruise track intersected or closely paralleled portions of our two earlier Pacific cruise tracks. The comparisons showed remarkable consistency, considering the range of variability of carbon monoxide concentration. Latitudinal variations of concentrations found during the earlier cruises were reconfirmed.