Articles | Volume 22, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3429-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3429-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
15 Jul 2025
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 15 Jul 2025
Distribution of alkylamines in surface waters around the Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
Mark F. Fitzsimons
Biogeochemistry Research Centre, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
Preston Akenga
Biogeochemistry Research Centre, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
Ana Sotomayor
Marine Technology Unit (UTM), CSIC, Pg Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Elisabet L. Sà
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Queralt Güell-Bujons
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Magda Vila
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Yaiza M. Castillo
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Manuel Dall'Osto
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Dolors Vaqué
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Charel Wohl
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Centre of Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
Rafel Simó
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Related authors
Charel Wohl, Leah R. Williams, Elisabeth Deschaseaux, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, David C. S. Beddows, Harald Stark, Veronika Pospisilova, Felipe Lopez-Hilfiker, Guillaume Chamba, Karine Sellegri, Elisabet L. Sà, Queralt Güell-Bujons, Magda Vila, Yaiza M. Castillo, Arianna Rocchi, Ana Sotomayor, Dolors Vaqué, Manuel Dall’Osto, Elisa Berdalet, and Rafel Simó
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1472, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1472, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
Methanethiol and dimethyl sulfide are precursors to aerosols, which cool the climate. Here we present measurements of these compounds in surface seawater and ambient air around the Antarctic Peninsula and the Weddell Sea, highlighting that a large fraction of volatile sulfur emissions from the ocean is biogenic methanethiol. This dataset presents some of the factors driving the variability of these compounds.
Charel Wohl, Leah R. Williams, Elisabeth Deschaseaux, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, David C. S. Beddows, Harald Stark, Veronika Pospisilova, Felipe Lopez-Hilfiker, Guillaume Chamba, Karine Sellegri, Elisabet L. Sà, Queralt Güell-Bujons, Magda Vila, Yaiza M. Castillo, Arianna Rocchi, Ana Sotomayor, Dolors Vaqué, Manuel Dall’Osto, Elisa Berdalet, and Rafel Simó
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1472, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1472, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
Methanethiol and dimethyl sulfide are precursors to aerosols, which cool the climate. Here we present measurements of these compounds in surface seawater and ambient air around the Antarctic Peninsula and the Weddell Sea, highlighting that a large fraction of volatile sulfur emissions from the ocean is biogenic methanethiol. This dataset presents some of the factors driving the variability of these compounds.
James Brean, David C. S. Beddows, Eija Asmi, Aki Virkkula, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Mikko Sipilä, Floortje Van Den Heuvel, Thomas Lachlan-Cope, Anna Jones, Markus Frey, Angelo Lupi, Jiyeon Park, Young Jun Yoon, Rolf Weller, Giselle L. Marincovich, Gabriela C. Mulena, Roy M. Harrison, and Manuel Dall'Osto
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1145–1162, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1145-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1145-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our results emphasise how understanding the geographical variation in surface types across the Antarctic is key to understanding secondary aerosol sources.
Sankirna D. Joge, Anoop S. Mahajan, Shrivardhan Hulswar, Christa A. Marandino, Martí Galí, Thomas G. Bell, and Rafel Simó
Biogeosciences, 21, 4439–4452, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4439-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4439-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is the largest natural source of sulfur in the atmosphere and leads to the formation of cloud condensation nuclei. DMS emission and quantification of its impacts have large uncertainties, but a detailed study on the emissions and drivers of their uncertainty is missing to date. The emissions are usually calculated from the seawater DMS concentrations and a flux parameterization. Here we quantify the differences in DMS seawater products, which can affect DMS fluxes.
Sankirna D. Joge, Anoop S. Mahajan, Shrivardhan Hulswar, Christa A. Marandino, Martí Galí, Thomas G. Bell, Mingxi Yang, and Rafel Simó
Biogeosciences, 21, 4453–4467, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4453-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4453-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is the largest natural source of sulfur in the atmosphere and leads to the formation of cloud condensation nuclei. DMS emissions and quantification of their impacts have large uncertainties, but a detailed study on the range of emissions and drivers of their uncertainty is missing to date. The emissions are calculated from the seawater DMS concentrations and a flux parameterization. Here we quantify the differences in the effect of flux parameterizations used in models.
Marco Paglione, David C. S. Beddows, Anna Jones, Thomas Lachlan-Cope, Matteo Rinaldi, Stefano Decesari, Francesco Manarini, Mara Russo, Karam Mansour, Roy M. Harrison, Andrea Mazzanti, Emilio Tagliavini, and Manuel Dall'Osto
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 6305–6322, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6305-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-6305-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Applying factor analysis techniques to H-NMR spectra, we present the organic aerosol (OA) source apportionment of PM1 samples collected in parallel at two Antarctic stations, namely Signy and Halley, allowing investigation of aerosol–climate interactions in an unperturbed atmosphere. Our results show remarkable differences between pelagic (open-ocean) and sympagic (sea-ice-influenced) air masses and indicate that various sources and processes are controlling Antarctic aerosols.
George Manville, Thomas G. Bell, Jane P. Mulcahy, Rafel Simó, Martí Galí, Anoop S. Mahajan, Shrivardhan Hulswar, and Paul R. Halloran
Biogeosciences, 20, 1813–1828, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1813-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1813-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We present the first global investigation of controls on seawater dimethylsulfide (DMS) spatial variability over scales of up to 100 km. Sea surface height anomalies, density, and chlorophyll a help explain almost 80 % of DMS variability. The results suggest that physical and biogeochemical processes play an equally important role in controlling DMS variability. These data provide independent confirmation that existing parameterisations of seawater DMS concentration use appropriate variables.
James Brean, David C. S. Beddows, Roy M. Harrison, Congbo Song, Peter Tunved, Johan Ström, Radovan Krejci, Eyal Freud, Andreas Massling, Henrik Skov, Eija Asmi, Angelo Lupi, and Manuel Dall'Osto
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2183–2198, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2183-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2183-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our results emphasize how understanding the geographical variation in surface types across the Arctic is key to understanding secondary aerosol sources. We provide a harmonised analysis of new particle formation across the Arctic.
Matthew Boyer, Diego Aliaga, Jakob Boyd Pernov, Hélène Angot, Lauriane L. J. Quéléver, Lubna Dada, Benjamin Heutte, Manuel Dall'Osto, David C. S. Beddows, Zoé Brasseur, Ivo Beck, Silvia Bucci, Marina Duetsch, Andreas Stohl, Tiia Laurila, Eija Asmi, Andreas Massling, Daniel Charles Thomas, Jakob Klenø Nøjgaard, Tak Chan, Sangeeta Sharma, Peter Tunved, Radovan Krejci, Hans Christen Hansson, Federico Bianchi, Katrianne Lehtipalo, Alfred Wiedensohler, Kay Weinhold, Markku Kulmala, Tuukka Petäjä, Mikko Sipilä, Julia Schmale, and Tuija Jokinen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 389–415, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-389-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-389-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Arctic is a unique environment that is warming faster than other locations on Earth. We evaluate measurements of aerosol particles, which can influence climate, over the central Arctic Ocean for a full year and compare the data to land-based measurement stations across the Arctic. Our measurements show that the central Arctic has similarities to but also distinct differences from the stations further south. We note that this may change as the Arctic warms and sea ice continues to decline.
Shrivardhan Hulswar, Rafel Simó, Martí Galí, Thomas G. Bell, Arancha Lana, Swaleha Inamdar, Paul R. Halloran, George Manville, and Anoop Sharad Mahajan
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 2963–2987, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2963-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2963-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The third climatological estimation of sea surface dimethyl sulfide (DMS) concentrations based on in situ measurements was created (DMS-Rev3). The update includes a much larger input dataset and includes improvements in the data unification, filtering, and smoothing algorithm. The DMS-Rev3 climatology provides more realistic monthly estimates of DMS, and shows significant regional differences compared to past climatologies.
Charel Wohl, Anna E. Jones, William T. Sturges, Philip D. Nightingale, Brent Else, Brian J. Butterworth, and Mingxi Yang
Biogeosciences, 19, 1021–1045, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1021-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1021-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We measured concentrations of five different organic gases in seawater in the high Arctic during summer. We found higher concentrations near the surface of the water column (top 5–10 m) and in areas of partial ice cover. This suggests that sea ice influences the concentrations of these gases. These gases indirectly exert a slight cooling effect on the climate, and it is therefore important to measure the levels accurately for future climate predictions.
Sebastian Landwehr, Michele Volpi, F. Alexander Haumann, Charlotte M. Robinson, Iris Thurnherr, Valerio Ferracci, Andrea Baccarini, Jenny Thomas, Irina Gorodetskaya, Christian Tatzelt, Silvia Henning, Rob L. Modini, Heather J. Forrer, Yajuan Lin, Nicolas Cassar, Rafel Simó, Christel Hassler, Alireza Moallemi, Sarah E. Fawcett, Neil Harris, Ruth Airs, Marzieh H. Derkani, Alberto Alberello, Alessandro Toffoli, Gang Chen, Pablo Rodríguez-Ros, Marina Zamanillo, Pau Cortés-Greus, Lei Xue, Conor G. Bolas, Katherine C. Leonard, Fernando Perez-Cruz, David Walton, and Julia Schmale
Earth Syst. Dynam., 12, 1295–1369, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-1295-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-1295-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition surveyed a large number of variables describing the dynamic state of ocean and atmosphere, freshwater cycle, atmospheric chemistry, ocean biogeochemistry, and microbiology in the Southern Ocean. To reduce the dimensionality of the dataset, we apply a sparse principal component analysis and identify temporal patterns from diurnal to seasonal cycles, as well as geographical gradients and
hotspotsof interaction. Code and data are open access.
Dimitrios Bousiotis, Francis D. Pope, David C. S. Beddows, Manuel Dall'Osto, Andreas Massling, Jakob Klenø Nøjgaard, Claus Nordstrøm, Jarkko V. Niemi, Harri Portin, Tuukka Petäjä, Noemi Perez, Andrés Alastuey, Xavier Querol, Giorgos Kouvarakis, Nikos Mihalopoulos, Stergios Vratolis, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Alfred Wiedensohler, Kay Weinhold, Maik Merkel, Thomas Tuch, and Roy M. Harrison
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11905–11925, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11905-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11905-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Formation of new particles is a key process in the atmosphere. New particle formation events arising from nucleation of gaseous precursors have been analysed in extensive datasets from 13 sites in five European countries in terms of frequency, nucleation rate, and particle growth rate, with several common features and many differences identified. Although nucleation frequencies are lower at roadside sites, nucleation rates and particle growth rates are typically higher.
Congbo Song, Manuel Dall'Osto, Angelo Lupi, Mauro Mazzola, Rita Traversi, Silvia Becagli, Stefania Gilardoni, Stergios Vratolis, Karl Espen Yttri, David C. S. Beddows, Julia Schmale, James Brean, Agung Ghani Kramawijaya, Roy M. Harrison, and Zongbo Shi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 11317–11335, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11317-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-11317-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present a cluster analysis of relatively long-term (2015–2019) aerosol aerodynamic volume size distributions up to 20 μm in the Arctic for the first time. The study found that anthropogenic and natural aerosols comprised 27 % and 73 % of the occurrence of the coarse-mode aerosols, respectively. Our study shows that about two-thirds of the coarse-mode aerosols are related to two sea-spray-related aerosol clusters, indicating that sea spray aerosol may more complex in the Arctic environment.
Daniel P. Phillips, Frances E. Hopkins, Thomas G. Bell, Peter S. Liss, Philip D. Nightingale, Claire E. Reeves, Charel Wohl, and Mingxi Yang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10111–10132, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10111-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10111-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present the first measurements of the rate of transfer (flux) of three gases between the atmosphere and the ocean, using a direct flux measurement technique, at a coastal site. We show greater atmospheric loss of acetone and acetaldehyde into the ocean than estimated by global models for the open water; importantly, the acetaldehyde transfer direction is opposite to the model estimates. Measured dimethylsulfide fluxes agreed with a recent model. Isoprene fluxes were too weak to be measured.
Cited articles
Akenga, P. C. and Fitzsimons, M. F.: Automated method for the sensitive analysis of volatile amines in seawater, ACS ES T. Water, 4, 2504–2510, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.4c00007, 2024.
Álvarez-Salgado, X. A. and Miller, A. E. J.: Simultaneous determination of dissolved organic carbon and total dissolved nitrogen in seawater by high temperature catalytic oxidation: conditions for precise shipboard measurements, Mar. Chem., 62, 325–333, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4203(98)00037-1, 1998.
Antia, N. J., Harrison, P. J., and Oliveira, L.: The role of dissolved organic nitrogen in phytoplankton nutrition, cell biology and ecology, Phycologia, 30, 1–89, https://doi.org/10.2216/i0031-8884-30-1-1.1, 1991.
Auguie, B.: gridExtra: Miscellaneous Functions for “Grid” Graphics, Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN), 2017.
Barrett, E. L. and Kwan, H. S.: Bacterial reduction of trimethylamine oxide, Annu. Rev. Microbiol., 39, 131–149, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.mi.39.100185.001023, 1985.
Biggs, T. E. G., Huisman, J., and Brussaard, C. P. D.: Viral lysis modifies seasonal phytoplankton dynamics and carbon flow in the Southern Ocean, ISME J., 15, 3615–3622, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41396-021-01033-6, 2021.
Bolar, K.: STAT: Interactive Document for Working with Basic Statistical Analysis, Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN), 2019.
Brean, J., Dall'Osto, M., Simó, R., Shi, Z., Beddows, D. C. S., and Harrison, R. M.: Open ocean and coastal new particle formation from sulfuric acid and amines around the Antarctic Peninsula, Nat. Geosci., 14, 383–388, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-021-00751-y, 2021.
Bronk, D. A.: Dynamics of DON, in: Biogeochemistry of Marine Dissolved Organic Matter, edited by: Hansell, D. A. and Carlson, C. A., Elsevier, https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-012323841-2/50007-5, 153–247, 2002.
Brussaard, C. P. D.: Optimization of procedures for counting viruses by flow cytometry, Appl. Environ. Microb., 70, 1506–1513, https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.70.3.1506-1513.2004, 2004.
Brussaard, C. P. D., Thyrhaug, R., Marie, D., and Bratbak, G.: Flow cytometric analyses of viral infection in two marine phytoplankton species, Micromonas pusilla (prasinophyceae) and Phaeocystis pouchetii (prymnesiophyceae), J. Phycol., 35, 941–948, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1529-8817.1999.3550941.x, 1999.
Brussaard, C. P. D., Mari, X., Van Bleijswijk, J. D. L., and Veldhuis, M. J. W.: A mesocosm study of Phaeocystis globosa (Prymnesiophyceae) population dynamics, Harmful Algae, 4, 875–893, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hal.2004.12.012, 2005.
Burg, M. B. and Ferraris, J. D.: Intracellular organic osmolytes: function and regulation, J. Biol. Chem., 283, 7309–7313, https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.R700042200, 2008.
Chen, Y., Patel, N. A., Crombie, A., Scrivens, J. H., and Murrell, J. C.: Bacterial flavin-containing monooxygenase is trimethylamine monooxygenase, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 108, 17791–17796, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1112928108, 2011.
Chistoserdova, L., Kalyuzhnaya, M. G., and Lidstrom, M. E.: The expanding world of methylotrophic metabolism, Annu. Rev. Microbiol., 63, 477–499, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.micro.091208.073600, 2009.
Corral, A. F., Choi, Y., Collister, B. L., Crosbie, E., Dadashazar, H., Digangi, J. P., Diskin, G., Fenn, M. A., Kirschler, S., Moore, R., Nowak, J. B., Shook, M., Stahl, C., Shingler, T. J., Thornhill, K., Voigt, C., Ziemba, L., and Sorooshian, A.: Alkyl amines in cloud water: A case study over the northwest Atlantic ocean, Environ. Sci. Atmos., 2, 1534–1550, https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ea00117a, 2022.
Cree, C. H. L., Airs, R., Archer, S. D., and Fitzsimons, M. F.: Measurement of methylamines in seawater using solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography, Limnol. Oceanogr.-Meth., 16, 411–420, https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10255, 2018.
Dall'Osto, M., Ovadnevaite, J., Paglione, M., Beddows, D. C. S., Ceburnis, D., Cree, C., Cortés, P., Zamanillo, M., Nunes, S. O., Pérez, G. L., Ortega-Retuerta, E., Emelianov, M., Vaqué, D., Marrasé, C., Estrada, M., Sala, M. M., Vidal, M., Fitzsimons, M. F., Beale, R., Airs, R., Rinaldi, M., Decesari, S., Cristina Facchini, M., Harrison, R. M., O'Dowd, C., and Simó, R.: Antarctic sea ice region as a source of biogenic organic nitrogen in aerosols, Sci. Rep.-UK, 7, 6047, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06188-x, 2017.
Dall'Osto, M., Airs, R. L., Beale, R., Cree, C., Fitzsimons, M. F., Beddows, D., Harrison, R. M., Ceburnis, D., O'Dowd, C., Rinaldi, M., Paglione, M., Nenes, A., Decesari, S., and Simó, R.: Simultaneous Detection of Alkylamines in the Surface Ocean and Atmosphere of the Antarctic Sympagic Environment, ACS Earth Space Chem., 3, 854–862, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.9b00028, 2019.
Dawson, H. M., Heal, K. R., Torstensson, A., Carlson, L. T., Ingalls, A. E., and Young, J. N.: Large diversity in nitrogen- and sulfur-containing compatible solute profiles in polar and temperate diatoms, Integr. Comp. Biol., 60, 1401–1413, https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icaa133, 2020.
Dittrich, R., Henley, S. F., Ducklow, H. W., and Meredith, M. P.: Dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen cycling along the west Antarctic Peninsula during summer, Prog. Oceanogr., 206, 102854, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2022.102854, 2022.
Edler, L. and Elbrächter, M.: The Utermöhl method for quantitative phytoplankton analysis, in: Microscopic and Molecular Methods for Quantitative Phytoplankton Analysis, edited by: Karlson, B., Cusack, C., and Bresnan, E., IOC Manuals and Guides No. 55, UNESCO Publishing, Paris, 110 pp., https://doi.org/10.25607/OBP-1371, 2010.
Evans, C., Pearce, I., and Brussaard, C. P. D.: Viral-mediated lysis of microbes and carbon release in the sub-Antarctic and Polar Frontal zones of the Australian Southern Ocean, Environ. Microbiol., 11, 2924–2934, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2009.02050.x, 2009.
Facchini, M. C., Decesari, S., Rinaldi, M., Carbone, C., Finessi, E., Mircea, M., Fuzzi, S., and O'Dowd, C. D.: Important source of marine secondary organic aerosol from biogenic amines, Environ. Sci. Technol., 42, 9116–9121, https://doi.org/10.1021/es8018385, 2008.
Fitzsimons, M. F., Tilley, M., and Cree, C. H. L.: The determination of volatile amines in aquatic marine systems: A review, Anal. Chim. Acta, 1241, 340707, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2022.340707, 2023.
Fitzsimons, M. F., Airs, R., and Chen, Y.: The occurrence and biogeochemical cycling of quaternary, ternary and volatile amines in marine systems, Front. Mar. Sci., 11, 1466221, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1466221, 2024.
Gasol, J. M. and Del Giorgio, P. A.: Using flow cytometry for counting natural planktonic bacteria and understanding the structure of planktonic bacterial communities, Sci. Mar., 64, 197–224, https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2000.64n2197, 2000.
Gibb, S. W. and Hatton, A. D.: The occurrence and distribution of trimethylamine-N-oxide in Antarctic coastal waters, Mar. Chem., 91, 65–75, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2004.04.005, 2004.
Gibb, S. W., Mantoura, R. F. C., and Liss, P. S.: Ocean-atmosphere exchange and atmospheric speciation of ammonia and methylamines in the region of the NW Arabian Sea, Global Biogeochem. Cy., 13, 161–178, https://doi.org/10.1029/98gb00743, 1999.
Goldwhite, H.: Nitrogen derivatives of the aliphatic hydrocarbons, in: Rodd's Chemistry of Carbon Compounds, edited by: Coffey, S., Elsevier, https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-044453345-6.50475-2, 93–164, 1964.
Gorbunov, M. Y. and Falkowski, P. G.: Using chlorophyll fluorescence to determine the fate of photons absorbed by phytoplankton in the world's oceans, Annu. Rev. Mar. Sci., 14, 213–238, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-032621-122346, 2022.
Gorbunov, M. Y., Shirsin, E., Nikonova, E., Fadeev, V. V., and Falkowski, P. G.: A multi-spectral fluorescence induction and relaxation (FIRe) technique for physiological and taxonomic analysis of phytoplankton communities, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 644, 1–13, https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13358, 2020.
Grasshoff, K., Ehrhardt, M., and Kremling, K.: Methods of Seawater Analysis, 3rd revised and extended edition, Wiley & Sons, ISBN 3-527-25998-8, 1983.
Jakobsen, H. H. and Markager, S.: Carbon-to-chlorophyll ratio for phytoplankton in temperate coastal waters: Seasonal patterns and relationship to nutrients, Limnol. Oceanogr., 61, 1853–1868, https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10338, 2016.
Jolliffe, I. T.: Principal component analysis for special types of data, in: Principal Component Analysis, Springer, New York, NY, https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-22440-8_13, 338–372, 2002.
Kassambara, A.: ggcorrplot: Visualization of a Correlation Matrix Using “ggplot2”, Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN), 2021.
Kassambara, A. and Mundt, F.: factoextra: Extract and Visualize the Results of Multivariate Data Analyses, Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN), 2020.
Kimura, M., Seki, N., and Kimura, I.: Occurrence and some properties of trimethylamine-N-oxide demethylase in myofibrillar fraction from walleye pollack muscle, Fisheries Sci., 66, 725–729, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1444-2906.2000.00118.x, 2000.
Kinsey, J. D. and Kieber, D. J.: Microwave preservation method for DMSP, DMSO, and acrylate in unfiltered seawater and phytoplankton culture samples: Microwave Sample Preservation Method, Limnol. Oceanogr.-Meth., 14, 196–209, https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10081, 2016.
Koester, I., Quinlan, Z. A., Nothias, L.-F., White, M. E., Rabines, A., Petras, D., Brunson, J. K., Dührkop, K., Ludwig, M., Böcker, S., Azam, F., Allen, A. E., Dorrestein, P. C., and Aluwihare, L. I.: Illuminating the dark metabolome of Pseudo-nitzschia-microbiome associations, Environ. Microbiol., 24, 5408–5424, https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.16242, 2022.
Landa, M., Burns, A. S., Roth, S. J., and Moran, M. A.: Bacterial transcriptome remodeling during sequential co-culture with a marine dinoflagellate and diatom, ISME J., 11, 2677–2690, https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2017.117, 2017.
Lidbury, I., Murrell, J. C., and Chen, Y.: Trimethylamine N-oxide metabolism by abundant marine heterotrophic bacteria, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 111, 2710–2715, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1317834111, 2014.
Lidbury, I., Kimberley, G., Scanlan, D. J., Murrell, J. C., and Chen, Y.: Comparative genomics and mutagenesis analyses of choline metabolism in the marine Roseobacter clade, Environ. Microbiol., 17, 5048–5062, https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12943, 2015a.
Lidbury, I., Kröber, E., Zhang, Z., Zhu, Y., Murrell, J. C., Chen, Y., and Schäfer, H.: A mechanism for bacterial transformation of dimethylsulfide to dimethylsulfoxide: a missing link in the marine organic sulfur cycle, Environ. Microbiol., 18, 2754–2766, https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.13354, 2016.
Lidbury, I. D. E. A., Murrell, J. C., and Chen, Y.: Trimethylamine and trimethylamine N-oxide are supplementary energy sources for a marine heterotrophic bacterium: implications for marine carbon and nitrogen cycling, ISME J., 9, 760–769, https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2014.149, 2015b.
Liu, C., Li, H., Zheng, H., Wang, G., Qin, X., Chen, J., Zhou, S., Lu, D., Liang, G., Song, X., Duan, Y., Liu, J., Huang, K., and Deng, C.: Ocean emission pathway and secondary formation mechanism of aminiums over the Chinese marginal sea, J. Geophys. Res., 127, e2022JD037805, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022jd037805, 2022.
Marie, D., Rigaut-Jalabert, F., and Vaulot, D.: An improved protocol for flow cytometry analysis of phytoplankton cultures and natural samples: AnImproved Protocol for Flow Cytometry Analysis, Cytom. Part A, 85, 962–968, https://doi.org/10.1002/cyto.a.22517, 2014.
Masdeu-Navarro, M., Mangot, J.-F., Xue, L., Cabrera-Brufau, M., Gardner, S. G., Kieber, D. J., González, J. M., and Simó, R.: Spatial and diel patterns of volatile organic compounds, DMSP-derived compounds, and planktonic microorganisms around a tropical scleractinian coral colony, Front. Mar. Sci., 9, 944141, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.944141, 2022.
Mausz, M. A. and Chen, Y.: Microbiology and ecology of methylated Amine metabolism in marine ecosystems, Curr. Issues Mol. Biol., 33, 133–148, https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.033.133, 2019.
McCoy, D. T., Burrows, S. M., Wood, R., Grosvenor, D. P., Elliott, S. M., Ma, P.-L., Rasch, P. J., and Hartmann, D. L.: Natural aerosols explain seasonal and spatial patterns of Southern Ocean cloud albedo, Sci. Adv., 1, e1500157, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500157, 2015.
Menden-Deuer, S. and Lessard, E. J.: Carbon to volume relationships for dinoflagellates, diatoms, and other protist plankton, Limnol. Oceanogr., 45, 569–579, https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2000.45.3.0569, 2000.
Ning, A., Liu, L., Zhang, S., Yu, F., Du, L., Ge, M., and Zhang, X.: The critical role of dimethylamine in the rapid formation of iodic acid particles in marine areas, Npj Clim. Atmos. Sci., 5, 92, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-022-00316-9, 2022.
Norland, S.: The relationship between biomass and volume of bacteria, in: Handbook of Methods in Aquatic Microbial Ecology, edited by: Kemp, P. F., Cole, J. J., Sherr, B. F., and Sherr, E. B., Lewis Publishers (CRC Press), Boca Raton, FL, 1993, 303–309, ISBN 0-87371-564-0, 1993.
North, B. B.: Primary amines in California coastal waters: Utilization by phytoplankton, Limnol. Oceanogr., 20, 20–27, 1975.
Oksanen, J.: vegan: Community Ecology Package, Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN), 2022.
Palenik, B. and Morel, F. M.: Amine oxidases of marine phytoplankton, Appl. Environ. Microb., 57, 2440–2443, https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.57.8.2440-2443.1991, 1991.
Poste, A. E., Grung, M., and Wright, R. F.: Amines and amine-related compounds in surface waters: a review of sources, concentrations and aquatic toxicity, Sci. Total Environ., 481, 274–279, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.066, 2014.
R Core Team: R: A language and environment for statistical computing, R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria, https://www.R-project.org/, last access: 11 July 2025.
Revelle, W.: psych: Procedures for Psychological, Psychometric, and Personality Research, Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN), 2023.
Rinaldi, M., Paglione, M., Decesari, S., Harrison, R. M., Beddows, D. C. S., Ovadnevaite, J., Ceburnis, D., O'Dowd, C. D., Simó, R., and Dall'Osto, M.: Contribution of Water-Soluble Organic Matter from Multiple Marine Geographic Eco-Regions to Aerosols around Antarctica, Environ. Sci. Technol., 54, 7807–7817, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c00695, 2020.
Rocchi, A., Sotomayor-Garcia, A., Cabrera-Brufau, M., Berdalet, E., Dall'Osto, M., and Vaqué, D.: Abundance and activity of sympagic viruses near the Western Antarctic Peninsula, Polar Biol., 45, 1363–1378, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-022-03073-w, 2022.
RStudio Team: RStudio: Integrated Development Environment for R, RStudio, PBC, Boston, MA, https://posit.co/download/rstudio-desktop/, last access: 11 July 2025.
Schoffman, H., Lis, H., Shaked, Y., and Keren, N.: Iron-nutrient interactions within phytoplankton, Front. Plant Sci., 7, 1223, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.01223, 2016.
Sieracki, M. E., Johnson, P. W., and Sieburth, J. M.: Detection, enumeration, and sizing of planktonic bacteria by image-analyzed epifluorescence microscopy, Appl. Environ. Microb., 49, 799–810, https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.49.4.799-810.1985, 1985.
Spiese, C. E., Kieber, D. J., Nomura, C. T., and Kiene, R. P.: Reduction of dimethylsulfoxide to dimethylsulfide by marine phytoplankton, Limnol. Oceanogr., 54, 560–570, https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2009.54.2.0560, 2009.
Stefels, J.: Physiological aspects of the production and conversion of DMSP in marine algae and higher plants, J. Sea Res., 43, 183–197, https://doi.org/10.1016/s1385-1101(00)00030-7, 2000.
Stefels, J., Steinke, M., Turner, S., Malin, G., and Belviso, S.: Environmental constraints on the production and removal of the climatically active gas dimethylsulphide (DMS) and implications for ecosystem modelling, Biogeochemistry, 83, 245–275, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-007-9091-5, 2007.
Stein, L. Y.: Methylamine: a vital nitrogen (and carbon) source for marine microbes, Environ. Microbiol., 19, 2117–2118, https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.13716, 2017.
Suleiman, M., Zecher, K., Yücel, O., Jagmann, N., and Philipp, B.: Interkingdom cross-feeding of ammonium from marine methylamine-degrading bacteria to the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Appl. Environ. Microb., 82, 7113–7122, https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01642-16, 2016.
Sun, J., Mausz, M. A., Chen, Y., and Giovannoni, S. J.: Microbial trimethylamine metabolism in marine environments, Environ. Microbiol., 21, 513–520, https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.14461, 2019.
Suttle, C. A.: Viruses in the sea, Nature, 437, 356–361, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04160, 2005.
Taubert, M., Grob, C., Howat, A. M., Burns, O. J., Pratscher, J., Jehmlich, N., von Bergen, M., Richnow, H. H., Chen, Y., and Murrell, J. C.: Methylamine as a nitrogen source for microorganisms from a coastal marine environment, Environ. Microbiol., 19, 2246–2257, https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.13709, 2017.
van Pinxteren, M., Müller, C., Iinuma, Y., Stolle, C., and Herrmann, H.: Chemical characterization of dissolved organic compounds from coastal sea surface microlayers (Baltic Sea, Germany), Environ. Sci. Technol., 46, 10455–10462, https://doi.org/10.1021/es204492b, 2012.
van Pinxteren, M., Fomba, K. W., van Pinxteren, D., Triesch, N., Hoffmann, E. H., Cree, C. H. L., Fitzsimons, M. F., von Tümpling, W., and Herrmann, H.: Aliphatic amines at the Cape Verde Atmospheric Observatory: Abundance, origins and sea-air fluxes, Atmos. Environ. (1994), 203, 183–195, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2019.02.011, 2019.
Vaqué, D., Agustí, S., and Duarte, C. M.: Response of bacterial grazing rates to experimental manipulation of an Antarctic coastal nanoflagellate community, Aquat. Microb. Ecol., 36, 41–52, https://doi.org/10.3354/ame036041, 2004.
Vaulot, D., Courties, C., and Partensky, F.: A simple method to preserve oceanic phytoplankton for flow cytometric analyses, Cytometry, 10, 629–635, https://doi.org/10.1002/cyto.990100519, 1989.
Ward, B. B. and Bronk, D. A.: Net nitrogen uptake and DON release in surface waters: importance of trophic interactions implied from size fractionation experiments, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 219, 11–24, https://doi.org/10.3354/meps219011, 2001.
Wheeler, P. A. and Hellebust, J. A.: Uptake and concentration of alkylamines by a marine diatom: effects of H+ and K+ and implications for the transport and accumulation of weak bases, Plant Physiol., 67, 367–372, 1981.
Wheeler, P. A. and Kirchman, D. L.: Utilization of inorganic and organic nitrogen by bacteria in marine systems 1, Limnol. Oceanogr., 31, 998–1009, 1986.
Wheeler, P. A., North, B. B., and Stephens, G. C.: Amino acid uptake by marine phytoplankters 1, 2, Limnol. Oceanogr., 19, 249–259, 1974.
Wickham, H.: ggplot2: Create Elegant Data Visualisations Using Grammar of Graphics, Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN), 2023.
Wohl, C., Capelle, D., Jones, A., Sturges, W. T., Nightingale, P. D., Else, B. G. T., and Yang, M.: Segmented flow coil equilibrator coupled to a proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometer for measurements of a broad range of volatile organic compounds in seawater, Ocean Sci., 15, 925–940, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-925-2019, 2019.
Wohl, C., Villamayor, J., Galí, M., Mahajan, A. S., Fernández, R. P., Cuevas, C. A., Bossolasco, A., Li, Q., Kettle, A. J., Williams, T., Sarda-Esteve, R., Gros, V., Simó, R., and Saiz-Lopez, A.: Marine emissions of methanethiol increase aerosol cooling in the Southern Ocean, Sci. Adv., 10, eadq2465, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adq2465, 2024.
Wu, M., McCain, J. S. P., Rowland, E., Middag, R., Sandgren, M., Allen, A. E., and Bertrand, E. M.: Manganese and iron deficiency in Southern Ocean Phaeocystis antarctica populations revealed through taxon-specific protein indicators, Nat. Commun., 10, 3582, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11426-z, 2019.
Yentsch, C. S. and Menzel, D. W.: A method for the determination of phytoplankton chlorophyll and phaeophytin by fluorescence, Deep Sea Res. Oceanogr. Abstr., 10, 221–231, https://doi.org/10.1016/0011-7471(63)90358-9, 1963.
Zhang, Q., Jia, S., Chen, W., Mao, J., Yang, L., Krishnan, P., Sarkar, S., Shao, M., and Wang, X.: Contribution of marine biological emissions to gaseous methylamines in the atmosphere: An emission inventory based on multi-source data sets, Sci. Total Environ., 898, 165285, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165285, 2023.
Zu, H., Chu, B., Lu, Y., Liu, L., and Zhang, X.: Rapid iodine oxoacid nucleation enhanced by dimethylamine in broad marine regions, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5823–5835, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5823-2024, 2024.
Editorial statement
This study advances our understanding of sources and distributions of alkylamines, particularly in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, where they play an important role in marine nutrient cycling and food webs. Alkylamines are also important components of aerosols, influencing cloud formation and climate processes. This study is an important contribution for a better understanding ecosystem dynamics in polar environments and their implications for atmospheric processes in Antarctica, where the sources, distributions and marine biogeochemical cycles of nutrients are poorly understood.
This study advances our understanding of sources and distributions of alkylamines, particularly...
Short summary
During the PolarChange expedition, volatile alkylamines, important players in nitrogen cycling and cloud formation, were measured in Antarctic waters using a high-sensitivity method. Trimethylamine was the dominant alkylamine in marine particles, associated with nanophytoplankton. Dissolved dimethylamine likely originated from trimethylamine degradation, while diethylamine sources remain unclear. These findings confirm the biological origin of alkylamines in polar marine microbial food webs.
During the PolarChange expedition, volatile alkylamines, important players in nitrogen cycling...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint