Emission of perfluoroalkyl acids on sea spray aerosol in coastal regions

Our previous research showed that perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in sea spray aerosol (SSA) are a significant source of PFAAs to the air.

The annual emissions of certain PFAAs on SSA from the oceans are estimated to be comparable to other major global sources to the air.

Despite recent advances in understanding PFAA transport via SSA, we suspect that emissions of PFAAs in SSA from coastal waters are underestimated.

The model parameterization used in our previous work was based on open ocean conditions and did not account for the production of SSA in surf zones or the enrichment of PFAAs on SSA under coastal conditions.

Seawater in the coastal zone can have a different composition than open ocean seawater, with higher concentrations of PFAAs and organic matter, which may impact PFAA emissions.

Given that emissions of PFAAs in SSA from coastal waters can have a significant impact on coastal air and terrestrial environments, it is essential to improve our understanding of this phenomenon.To address this knowledge gap, we will quantify the emission of PFAAs in SSA from coastal waters at both a regional and global scale.

We plan to conduct a series of field experiments using a sea spray simulator to investigate the enrichment of PFAAs on SSA under coastal conditions. We will also develop an empirical source function for SSA emission flux in the surf zone.

Finally, we will update our previous modeling of PFAA emissions from the global ocean to include emissions from coastal waters.