Composition of Surfactants from Sea-Surface Microlayer and Marine Aerosols along the Malacca Straits

Abstract

This study aims to determine the concentrations of surfactants on the sea-surface microlayer and in atmospheric aerosols from several coastal areas along the Malacca Straits. The concentrations of surfactants from the sea-surface microlayer (collected using rotation drum) and aerosols (collected using HVS) were analysed as Methylene Blue Active Substances (MBAS) and Disulphine Blue Active Substances (DBAS) by colorimetric method using a UV–visible spectrophotometer. The results of this study show the average concentrations of surfactants in the sea-surface microlayer ranged between undetected and 0.36 ± 0.34 μmolL−1 for MBAS and between 0.11 ± 0.02 and 0.21 ± 0.13 μmolL−1 for DBAS. The contribution of surfactants from the sea-surface microlayer to the composition of surfactants in atmospheric aerosols appears to be more dominant in coarse mode aerosols. Other anthropogenic sources such as regional biomass burning can also contribute to the amount of atmospheric surfactants as MBAS.