[1] The FeCycle experiment provided an SF 6 labeled mesoscale patch of high-nitrate low-chlorophyll (HNLC) water in austral summer 2003. These labeled waters enabled a comparison of the inventory of particulate iron (PFe) in the 45-m-deep surface mixed layer with the concurrent downward export flux of PFe at depths of 80 and 120 m. The partitioning of PFe between four size fractions (0.2-2, 2-5, 5-20, and >20 mm) was assessed, and PFe was mainly found in the >20-mm size fraction throughout FeCycle. Estimates of the relative contribution of the biogenic and lithogenic components to PFe were based on an Al:Fe molar ratio (0.18) derived following analysis of dust/soil from the nearest source of aerosol Fe: the semi-arid regions of Australia. The lithogenic component dominated each of the four PFe size fractions, with medians ranging from 68 to 97% of PFe during the 10-day experiment. The Fe:C ratios for mixed-layer particles were $40 mmol/mol. PFe export was $300 nmol m À2 d À1 at 80 m depth representing a daily loss of $1% from the mixed-layer PFe inventory. There were pronounced increases in the Fe:C particulate ratios with depth, with a five-fold increase from the surface mixed layer to 80 m depth, consistent with scavenging of the remineralized Fe by sinking particles and concurrent solubilization and loss of particulate organic carbon. Significantly, the lithogenic fraction of the sinking PFe intercepted at both 80 m and 120 m was >40%; that is, there was an approximately twofold decrease in the proportion of lithogenic iron exported relative to that in the mixed-layer lithogenic iron inventory. This indicates that the transformation of lithogenic to biogenic PFe takes place in the mixed layer, prior to particles settling to depth. Moreover, the magnitude of lithogenic Fe supply from dust deposition into the waters southeast of New Zealand is comparable to that of the export of PFe from the mixed layer, suggesting that a large proportion of the deposited dust eventually exits the surface mixed layer as biogenic PFe in this HNLC region.

A growing awareness of the risks associated with skin exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation over the past decades has led to increased use of sunscreen cosmetic products leading the introduction of new chemical compounds in the marine environment. Although coastal tourism and recreation are the largest and most rapidly growing activities in the world, the evaluation of sunscreen as source of chemicals to the coastal marine system has not been addressed. Concentrations of chemical UV filters included in the formulation of sunscreens, such as benzophehone 3 (BZ-3), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), TiO2 and ZnO, are detected in nearshore waters with variable concentrations along the day and mainly concentrated in the surface microlayer (i.e. 53.6–577.5 ng L-1 BZ-3; 51.4–113.4 ng L-1 4-MBC; 6.9–37.6 µg L-1 Ti; 1.0–3.3 µg L-1 Zn). The presence of these compounds in seawater suggests relevant effects on phytoplankton. Indeed, we provide evidences of the negative effect of sunblocks on the growth of the commonly found marine diatom Chaetoceros gracilis (mean EC50 = 125±71 mg L-1). Dissolution of sunscreens in seawater also releases inorganic nutrients (N, P and Si forms) that can fuel algal growth. In particular, PO4 3− is released by these products in notable amounts (up to 17 µmol PO4 3− g−1). We conservatively estimate an increase of up to 100% background PO4 3− concentrations (0.12 µmol L-1 over a background level of 0.06 µmol L-1) in nearshore waters during low water renewal conditions in a populated beach in Majorca island. Our results show that sunscreen products are a significant source of organic and inorganic chemicals that reach the sea with potential ecological consequences on the coastal marine ecosystem.

The world coastal-zone population and coastal tourism are expected to grow during this century. Associated with that, there will be an increase in the use of sunscreens and cosmetics with UV-filters in their formulation, which will make coastal regions worldwide susceptible to the impact of these cosmetics. Recent investigations indicate that organic and inorganic UV-filters, as well as many other components that are constituents of the sunscreens, reach the marine environment--directly as a consequence of water recreational activities and/or indirectly from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) effluents. Toxicity of organic and inorganic UV filters has been demonstrated in aquatic organism. UV-filters inhibit growth in marine phytoplankton and tend to bioaccumulate in the food webs. These findings together with coastal tourism data records highlight the potential risk that the increasing use of these cosmetics would have in coastal marine areas. Nevertheless, future investigations into distribution, residence time, aging, partitioning and speciation of their main components and by-products in the water column, persistence, accumulation and toxicity in the trophic chain, are needed to understand the magnitude and real impact of these emerging pollutants in the marine system.

[1] Atmospheric deposition is an important source of limiting nutrients to the ocean, potentially stimulating oceanic biota. Atmospheric inputs can also deliver important amounts of organic matter, which may fuel heterotrophic activity in the ocean. The effect of atmospheric dry aerosol deposition on the metabolic balance and net production of planktonic communities remains unresolved. Here we report high inputs of aerosol-bound N, Si, P, Fe and organic C to the subtropical NE Atlantic and experimentally demonstrate these inputs to stimulate autotrophic abundance and metabolism far beyond the modest stimulation of heterotrophic processes, thereby enhancing new production. Aerosol dry deposition was threefold to tenfold higher in the coastal ocean than in the open ocean, and supplied high average (±SE) inputs of organic C (980 ± 220 mmol C m, and labile Fe (1.01 ± 0.19 mmol Fe m À2 d À1 ), but low amounts of total P (8 ± 1.6 mmol P m À2 d À1 ) to the region during the study. Experimental aerosol inputs to oceanic planktonic communities from the studied area resulted, at the highest doses applied, in a sharp increase in phytoplankton biomass (sevenfold) and production (tenfold) within 4 days, with the community shifting from a dominance of picocyanobacteria to one of diatoms. In contrast, bacterial abundance and production showed little response. Primary production showed a much greater increase in response to aerosol inputs than community respiration did, so that the P/R ratio increased from around 0.95 in the ambient waters, where communities were close to metabolic balance, to 3.3 at the highest nutrient inputs, indicative of a high excess production and a potential for substantial net CO 2 removal by the community in response to aerosol inputs. These results showed that aerosol inputs are major vectors of nutrient and carbon inputs, which can, during high depositional events, enhance new production in the NE subtropical Atlantic Ocean.

Aerosol deposition plays an important role in climate and biogeochemical cycles by supplying nutrients to the open ocean, in turn stimulating ocean productivity and carbon sequestration. Aerosol particles also contain elements such as copper (Cu) that are essential in trace amounts for phytoplankton physiology but that can be toxic at high concentrations. Although the toxicity of Cu associated with aerosols has been demonstrated in bioassay experiments, extrapolation of these laboratory results to natural conditions is not straightforward. This study provides observational evidence of the negative effect of aerosols containing high Cu concentrations on marine phytoplankton over a vast region of the western Mediterranean Sea. Direct aerosol measurements were combined with satellite observations, resulting in the detection of significant declines in phytoplankton biomass after atmospheric aerosol events characterized by high Cu concentrations. The declines were more evident during summer, when nanoflagellates predominate in the phytoplankton population and stratification and oligotrophic conditions prevail in the study region. Together with previous findings concerning atmospheric Cu deposition, these results demonstrate that the toxicity of Cu-rich aerosols can involve large areas of the world's oceans. Moreover, they highlight the present vulnerability of oceanic ecosystems to Cu-rich aerosols of anthropogenic origins. Because anthropogenic emissions are increasing, large-scale negative effects on marine ecosystems can be anticipated.atmospheric dust | trace metal