Distribution and characterization of organic matter within the sea surface microlayer in the Gulf of Gdańsk

Penezić, Abra; Drozdowska, Violetta; Novak, Tihana; Gašparović, Blaženka (2022) Distribution and characterization of organic matter within the sea surface microlayer in the Gulf of Gdańsk. Oceanologia, 64 (4). pp. 631-650. ISSN 0078-3234

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Abstract

We present the characterisation and distribution of organic matter (OM) within the sea surface microlayer (SML) and underlying water (ULW) collected in October 2015 at nine stations in the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Gdansk, encompassing the Vistula River plume. Salinity of >7 throughout the transect indicated Vistula plume was possibly displaced westward by the preceding northerly and easterly winds between 5.7 and 10.7 ms-1 during the sampling campaign. Spectral analysis pointed to highest contribution of aromatic and high molecular weight molecules (lowest spectral slope (SR) ratios and highest absorption coefficient at 254 nm (aCDOM(254)) at the first two stations near the river mouth, demonstrating a very limited influence of the river plume. Concentrations of surface-active organic substances (SAS) ranged from 0.28 – 0.60 mg L−1 in eq. Triton-X-100 in SML, and from 0.22 – 0.47 mg L−1 in eq. Triton-X- 100 in the ULW, while POC concentrations ranged from 0.27 – 0.84 mg L−1 in SML and from 0.20 – 0.37 mg L−1 in ULW. Enrichment of SAS and POC detected at highest wind speeds indicates rapid SML recovery by OM transported from the ULW. Low lipids to POC contribution, on average 5% and 7% in SML and ULW respectively, indicated eutrophic conditions. Statistically significant negative correlation between SR and the Lipid:PIG ratio in SML and ULW suggests the production of lower molecular weight OM by phytoplankton living under favourable environmental conditions. Accumulation of lipid reserves triacylglycerols (TG) in the SML indicates more stressful plankton growth conditions compared to ULW.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Sea surface microlayer ; Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) ; Fluorescent organic matter (FDOM) ; Surface-active organic substances (SAS) ; Marine lipids ; POC
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences
Divisions:	Division for Marine and Enviromental Research
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Utjecaj okolišnog stresa na pojavnost i međudjelovanje biološki važnih organskih molekula i mikronutrijenata u morskom ekosustavu Gašparović, Blaženka IP-2013-11-8607 HRZZ Biokemijski odgovori površinskog sloja oligotrofnog područja Jadranskog mora na atmosfersko taloženje Frka Milosavljević, Sanja IP-2018-01-3105 HRZZ
Depositing User:	Sofija Konjević
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2022 10:14
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/7597
DOI:	10.1016/j.oceano.2022.05.003

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