Evidence for Fossil Fuel PM Accumulation in Marine Biota.

When fine particulates such as those with a diameter of approximately 1 μm (particulate matter, PM) are released from fossil fuel combustion into the air, they warm the atmosphere and contribute to millions of premature deaths in humans each year. Considerable quantities of PM eventually enter the oceans as suspended particulates, yet subsequent removal mechanisms are poorly understood. In fact, the presence of PM in marine biota has never been reported.