| Professional Bio |
Atmospheric deposition (dry and wet, a.k.a. dust and rain) is a major input route for trace metals to the open ocean. Marine aerosols carry elements (e.g. Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, etc) that are essential for phytoplankton (primary producers) growth, as well as pollution indicators (e.g. V, Pb, Se, As), far from source regions. However, only a fraction of the trace metals associated with the aerosols are soluble and, therefore, available for uptake by primary producers. As there are still questions about the principal controls on trace metal solubility, and a wide range of reported values, my research focuses on the dissolution of trace metals from marine aerosols (bulk and size-fractionated) collected at sea. I also determine trace metal concentrations in rainwater following ship-based collection. Back in the lab, I use ICP-MS for trace metal determination. Through the GEOTRACES program I collaborate with researchers who measure a range of other parameters (e.g. organic N and P species, black carbon, Hg, plus more) to try and identify relationships with trace metal solubility with the goal of better constraining trace metal terms in models of the global carbon cycle.
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