The first determination of atmospheric phosphine in Antarctica

Abstract

It is generally thought that phosphine (PH3) concentrations exist at the low ng/m3 level during the night and at the pg/m3 level during daylight in the remote atmosphere of the lower troposphere. The first determination of gaseous PH3 on the Antarctic Millor Peninsula is reported in this paper. No PH3 was detected in the air samples around 10:00 when it was sunny. However, PH3 was found in all the 10:00 air samples when it was cloudy or light snow with the average of 75.3±28.8 ng/m3 (n=5). It was also found in nearly all the samples around 22:00 with the average of 87.2±70.9 ng/m3 (n=11). Atmospheric PH3 concentrations around 22:00 were generally higher than those around 10:00 in January and they were almost the same in February. In addition, PH3 concentrations around 22:00 showed a downtrend with the decreasing air temperature, suggesting that light intensity and air temperature had an important effect on atmospheric PH3 concentration. It is very surprising to have found that high concentrations of PH3 exist in the Antarctic atmosphere under the influence of strong UV-radiation and light intensity. The tentative analyses show that dry, cold and very clean atmosphere may be very suitable for the PH3 survival and cause the concentration to increase and accumulate in the local atmosphere. New approaches for the PH3 formation and the process of atmospheric chemistry may exist under such an extreme environment. Atmospheric PH3 may also be from the emissions of local sources.