Comparison of inorganic nitrogen concentrations in airborne particles at inshore and offshore sites in the Yellow Sea (2017-2019): Long-range transport and potential impact on marine productivity

Abstract

Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen is one of the most important external nutrient sources. We investigated the concentrations of NO₃^- and NH₄⁺ in airborne particles at both an offshore and an inshore site in the Yellow Sea. At the offshore site, devoid of local sources and located downwind from the highly developed areas of Korea and China, the concentrations of atmospheric particulate NO₃^- and NH₄⁺ were ∼88 ± 101 nmol m^-3 and ∼102 ± 102 nmol m^-3, respectively, likely due to the transboundary long-range transport of pollutants. The inshore site showed a concentration ∼2 times higher than the offshore site. Considering not only dry inorganic nitrogen deposition but also wet and organic material deposition, the total atmospheric nitrogen deposition was estimated to contribute roughly 10 % to the new production in the Yellow Sea.

Keywords: Airborne total suspended particles; Anthropogenic nitrogen; Atmospheric deposition; Long-range transport; Yellow Sea.