Chemical Composition of Atmospheric Aerosol in the Arctic Region and Adjoining Seas along the Routes of Marine Expeditions in 2018–2019

Abstract

We consider the chemical composition (ions, elements, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) of atmospheric aerosol in different regions of the North Atlantic, European and Russian parts of the Arctic Ocean, and northern latitude and Far East seas. The studies were carried out onboard marine ships along their cruising routes (RV Akademik Tryoshnikov, RV Akademik Mstislav Keldysh, and RV Professor Multanovsky). The air samples were collected using the method accepted in the international networks operating under the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) and European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP). The average sum of ion concentrations and the concentrations of individual ions in the aerosol over the seas in the North Atlantic and in the European part of the Arctic Ocean is consistent with measurements in the Laptev and Kara Seas in 2018 and 2019. The high concnetrations of PAHs in aerosol in seas and the Arctic Ocean in the central part of the Russian Arctic coincide with high concentrations of ions and trace elements in the aerosol composition. A difference is noted in the distribution of concentrations of trace elements in aerosol composition between seas of the North Atlantic and central region of the Russian Arctic, which possibly points to different sources of these components.