Distribution and sea-to-air fluxes of volatile halocarbons in the Bohai Sea and North Yellow Sea during spring.

Abstract

Concentrations of volatile halocarbons (VHCs), such as CHBr2Cl, CHBr3, C2HCl3, and C2Cl4, in the Bohai Sea (BS) and North Yellow Sea (NYS) were measured during the spring of 2014. The VHC concentrations varied widely and decreased with distance from the coast in the investigated area, with low values observed in the open sea. Depth profiles of the VHCs were characterized by the highest concentration generally found in the upper water column. The distributions of the VHCs in the BS and NYS were clearly influenced by the combined effects of biological production, anthropogenic activities, and riverine input. The sea-to-air fluxes of CHBr2Cl, CHBr3, C2HCl3, and C2Cl4 in the study area were estimated to be 47.17, 56.63, 162.56, and 104.37nmolm-2d-1, respectively, indicating that the investigated area may be a source of atmospheric CHBr2Cl, CHBr3, C2HCl3, and C2Cl4 in spring.