Sulfur isotope homogeneity of oceanic DMSP and DMS

Abstract

Oceanic emissions of volatile dimethyl sulfide (DMS) represent the largest natural source of biogenic sulfur to the global atmosphere, where it mediates aerosol dynamics. To constrain the contribution of oceanic DMS to aerosols we established the sulfur isotope ratios (34S/32S ratio, δ34S) of DMS and its precursor, dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), in a range of marine environments. In view of the low oceanic concentrations of DMS/P, we applied a unique method for the analysis of δ34S at the picomole level in individual compounds. Surface water DMSP collected from six different ocean provinces revealed a remarkable consistency in δ34S values ranging between +18.9 and +20.3‰. Sulfur isotope composition of DMS analyzed in freshly collected seawater was similar to δ34S of DMSP, showing that the in situ fractionation between these species is small (