Abstract
A continuous record of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in rainwater was performed at Amsterdam island (37°S 77°E) from December 1995 to February 1997. Eighty one rainwater samples were collected. DMSO, methanesulfonic acid (MSA), the major anions, and cations were analyzed. DMSO concentrations ranged from 7.0 to 369 nM, with a distinct seasonal variation. The mean concentrations during the summer and the winter periods were 90 nM and 25.6 nM respectively. The observed DMSO seasonal cycle is in line with the observations of DMS in the atmosphere and MSA in rainwater, measured simultaneously during the reported period. However, the summer to winter ratio of DMSO is significantly lower than that observed for DMS and MSA. The DMSO to MSA ratio and its observed seasonal variability are also presented. The implications on the biogenic sulfur cycle are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andreae, M., 1980a: Determination of trace quantities of dimethylsulfoxide in aqueous solutions, Anal. Chem. 52, 150–153.
Andreae, M., 1980b: Dimethylsulfoxide in marine and freshwater, Limnol. Oceanogr. 25, 1054–1063.
Ayers, G. P., Ivey, J. P., and Gillett, R. W., 1991: Coherence between seasonal cycles of dimethyl sulphide, methanesulphonate and sulphate in marine air, Nature 349, 404–406.
Ayers, G. P., Penkett, S. A., Gillett, R. W., Bandy, B., Galbally, I. E., Meyer, C. P., Elsworth, C. M., Bentley, S. T., and Forgan, B. W., 1996: The annual cycle of peroxides and ozone in marine air at Cape Grim Tasmania, J. Atmos. Chem. 23, 221–252.
Barnes, I., Becker, K. H., and Patroescu, I., 1994: The tropospheric oxidation of dimethyl sulfide: A new source of carbonyl sulfide, Geophys. Res. Lett. 21, 2389–2392.
Barnes, I., Becker, K. H., and Patroescu, I., 1996: FTIR products study of the OH initiated oxidation of dimethyl sulphide: Observation of carbonyl sulphide and dimethyl sulphoxide, Atmos. Environ. 30, 1805–1814.
Berresheim, H., 1987: Biogenic sulfur emission from the Subantarctic and Antarctic Oceans, J. Geophys. Res. 92, 13245–13262.
Berresheim, H., Eisele, F. L., Tanner, D. J, Covert, D. S., McInnes, L., and Ramsey-Bell, D. C., 1993: Atmospheric sulfur chemistry and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations, over the north-eastern Pacific coast, J. Geophys. Res. 98, 12701–12711.
Brimblecombe, P. and Shooter, D., 1989: Photo-oxidation of dimethylsulphide in aqueous solution, Marine Chem. 19, 343–353.
Galloway, J. N. and Gaudry, A., 1984: The composition of precipitation in Amsterdam island, Indian Ocean, Atmos. Environ. 18, 2649–2656.
Harvey, G. and Lang, R. F., 1986: Dimethylsulfoxide and dimethylsulfone in the marine atmosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett. 13, 49–51.
Hynes, A. J., Wine, P. H., and Semmes D. H., 1986: Kinetics and mechanisms of OH reactions with organic sulfides, J. Phys. Chem. 90, 4148–4156.
Hynes, A. J. and Wine, P. H., 1996: The atmospheric chemistry of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Kinetics and mechanism of the OH + DMSO reaction, J. Atmos. Chem. 24, 23–37.
Kiene, R. and Gerard, C., 1994: Determination of trace levels of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in seawater and rainwater, Marine Chem. 47, 1–12.
Koga, S. and Takana, H., 1996: Simulations of seasonal variations of sulfur compounds in the remote marine atmosphere, J. Atmos. Chem. 23, 163–192.
Liss, P. S. and Merlivat, L., 1986: The Role of Air-Sea Exchange in Geochemical Cycling, P. Buat-Menard (ed.), Dordrecht, D. Reidel Pub. Co., pp. 113–127.
Mihalopoulos, N., Putaud, J. P., and Nguyen, B. C., 1993: Seasonal variation of methanesulfonic acid in precipitation at Amsterdam island in the southern Indian ocean, Atmos. Environ. 27A, 1909–1916.
Moody, J., Pszenny, A. P. P., Gaudry, A., Keene, W. C., Galloway, J. N., and Polian, G., 1991: Precipitation composition and its variability in the southern Indian Ocean: Amsterdam island, J. Geophys. Res. 96, 20769–20786.
Nguyen, B. C., Mihalopoulos, N., and Belviso, S., 1990: Seasonal variation of atmospheric dimethylsulfide at Amsterdam island in the southern Indian Ocean, J. Atmos. Chem. 11, 123–143.
Patroescu, J., 1996: Reactions of organic sulphur compounds in the atmosphere, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wuppertal, p. 155.
Polian, G., Lambert, G., Ardouin, B., Jégou, A., 1986: Long range transport of continental radon in subantarctic areas, Tellus 38B, 178–189.
Ridgeway, R. G., Thorton, D., and Bandy, A., 1992: Determination of trace aqueous dimethylsulfoxide concentrations by isotope dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry: Application to rain and sea water, J. Atmos. Chem. 14, 53–60.
Simo, R., Grimalt, J., and Albaiges, J., 1996: Sequential method for the field determination of nanomolar concentrations of dimethylsulfoxide in natural waters, Anal. Chem. 68, 1493–1498.
Toumi, R., 1994: BrO as a sink for dimethylsulphide in the marine atmosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett. 21, 117–120.
Vogt, R., Crutzen, P., and Sander, R., 1996: A mechanism for halogen release from sea-salt aerosol in the remote marine boundary layer, Nature 383, 327–330.
Watts, S. F. and Brimblecomble, P., 1987a: The Henry's law constant of Dimethyl sulphoxide, Environ. Technol. Lett. 8, 483–486.
Watts, S. F., Watson, A., and Brimblecomble, P., 1987b: Measurements of the aerosol concentrations of methanesulfonic acid, dimethylsulphoxide, and dimethylsulphone in the marine atmosphere of the British Isles, Atmos. Environ. 21, 2667–2672.
Watts, S. F., Brimblecomble, P., and Watson, A., 1990: Methanesulphonic acid, dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulphone in aerosols, Atmos. Environ. 24, 353–359.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sciare, J., Baboukas, E., Hancy, R. et al. Seasonal Variation of Dimethylsulfoxide in Rainwater at Amsterdam Island in the Southern Indian Ocean: Implications on the Biogenic Sulfur Cycle. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry 30, 229–240 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005983625947
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005983625947