Particulate and Dissolved Black Carbon in Coastal China Seas: Spatiotemporal Variations, Dynamics, and Potential Implications

Elaborating the spatiotemporal variations and dynamic mechanisms of black carbon (BC) in coastal seas, the geographically pivotal intermediate zones that link the terrestrial and open oceanic ecosystems, will contribute significantly to refine the regional and global BC geochemistry. In this study, we implemented a large spatial-scale and multiseason and -layer seawater sampling campaign in high BC emission influenced coastal China seas (Bohai Sea and Northern Yellow Sea) and quantified the thermal/optical reflectance-based particulate BC (PBC) and benzene polycarboxylic acids-based dissolved BC (DBC). We found that the climate and its associated hydrological effects (including the intensive resuspension and coastal current transport) largely regulate both PBC and DBC spatiotemporal variations and dynamics. In combination with previous work on upstream rivers and downstream open ocean, a significant and continuous decrease in the DBC aromatic condensation was observed along the river-to-ocean continuum, probably due to the increment of the photochemical degradation during the waterborne transport. Based on our DBC methodological development, i.e., the determination and subsequent inclusion of the nitrated BC molecular markers, the magnitudes of the current global DBC fluxes and pools were updated. After the update, the DBC fluxes from atmospheric deposition and riverine delivery were estimated at rates of 4.3 and 66.3 Tg yr(-1), respectively, and the global oceanic DBC pool was approximately 36 Gt. This update will greatly assist in constructing a more robust regional and global DBC and BC cycling and budgets.

Automated summary

The study reveals that climate and its associated hydrological effects play a major role in regulating the spatiotemporal variations and dynamics of particulate black carbon (PBC) and dissolved black carbon (DBC). The research also shows a significant decrease in DBC aromatic condensation along the river-to-ocean continuum. The updated global DBC fluxes and pools provide valuable information for constructing robust regional and global DBC and BC cycling and budgets.