Phosphorus and its solubility in aerosols from continental and marine sources in the sea areas near China: Results from a 40-day cruise mission in late spring

Accurate assessments of soluble phosphorus (P) in aerosol particles are essential to understand the atmospheric nutrients supply to the marine ecosystem. We quantified total P (TP) and dissolved P (DP) in the aerosol particles collected in the sea areas near China in a cruise mission from May 1 to June 11, 2016. The overall concentrations of TP and DP were 3.5–99.9 ng m−3 and 2.5–27.0 ng m−3, respectively. When the air originating from the desert areas, TP and DP were 28.7–99.9 ng m−3 and 10.8–27.0 ng m−3, respectively, and P solubility was 24.1–54.6 %. When the air influenced mainly by anthropogenic emissions from eastern China, TP and DP were 11.7–12.3 ng m−3 and 5.7–6.3 ng m−3, respectively, and P solubility was 46.0–53.7 %. More than half of the TP and more than 70 % of the DP were from pyrogenic particles, with a considerable DP converted via aerosol acidification after the particles met humid marine air. On average, aerosol acidification promoted the fractional solubility of dissolved inorganic P (DIP) to TP from 22 % to 43 %. When the air originating from the marine areas, TP and DP were 3.5–22.0 ng m−3 and 2.5–8.4 ng m−3, respectively, and P solubility was 34.6–93.6 %. About one-third of the DP was from biological emissions in organic forms (DOP), leading to higher solubility than in the particles from continental sources. These results reveal the dominance of inorganic P in TP and DP from the desert and anthropogenic mineral dust and the significant contribution of organic P from marine sources. The results also indicate the necessity to treat aerosol P carefully according to different sources of the aerosol particles and atmospheric processes the particles experience in assessing aerosol P input to seawater. [Display omitted] •Phosphorus (P) content and solubility depend on aerosol sources and acidification.•P content was high/low with low/high solubility in aerosols from the continent/sea.•Pyrogenic inorganic P dominated total P except in desert-dust-influenced samples.•Aerosols from marine sources contained substantial P from biological emissions.•Aerosol acidification largely promoted the conversion of inorganic P to soluble P.