Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Biological Degradation Of Acetaldehyde In Southern California Coastal Waters, Mary Senstad, Sovanndara Hok, Ori Barashy, Catherine D. Clark, Warren J. De Bruyn

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Oxygenated hydrocarbons are ubiquitous in the atmosphere with levels ranging from low ppt (acetaldehyde) to low ppb (methanol). As an OH sink and an atmospheric HOx and ozone source, oxygenated hydrocarbons have a direct impact on the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere. The oceans are one of the largest sources of uncertainty in current atmospheric budget estimates of these species. A better understanding of the processes that produce and destroy these species in seawater would improve our understanding of the role of the oceans in cycling these species into or out of the atmosphere. We have measured the degradation rate …