Bioaerosols and dust are the dominant sources of organic P in atmospheric particles

Abstract

Several studies assessed the impact of inorganic P in fertilizing oligotrophic areas, however, the importance of organic P in such fertilization processes received far less attention. In this study, the amount and origin of organic P delivered to the eastern Mediterranean Sea were characterized in atmospheric particles using the positive matrix factorization model (PMF). Phospholipids together with other chemical compounds (sugars, metals) were used as tracers in PMF. The model revealed that dominant sources of organic P are bioaerosols and dust. The amount of organic P from bioaerosols (~4 Gg P y−1) is similar to the amount of soluble inorganic P originating from dust aerosols; this is especially true during highly stratified periods when surface waters are strongly P-limited. The deposition of organic P from bioaerosols can constitute a considerable flux of bioavailable P—even during periods of dust episodes, implying that airborne biological particles can potentially fertilize marine ecosystems.