Publications by authors named "Sigurd Christiansen"
Article Synopsis
- Researchers assessed Fucus seaweed in the Faroe Islands to determine its effectiveness as a biomonitor for PAH pollution, using advanced chemical analysis techniques.
- The most contaminated samples were taken from the Tórshavn harbor, showing significantly higher levels of alkylated PAHs compared to their parent compounds.
- Variability in PAH concentrations based on sampling location and time highlights the impact of environmental factors, emphasizing the importance of refining the sampling strategy for accurate pollution assessment.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on the health impacts of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban environments and uses the moss species Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus to monitor airborne PAH pollution in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
- A total of 53 moss samples were analyzed for 19 parent PAHs, revealing significant concentration variations, with higher amounts located near the harbor and main roads; the total PAHs measured ranged from 0.90 to 344 µg per kg of dry weight.
- Findings indicate that different pollution sources uniquely affect urban areas, and this research is the first to utilize Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus for mapping PAH pollution
Sea spray aerosol (SSA) contributes significantly to natural aerosol particle concentrations globally, in marine areas even dominantly. The potential changes of the omnipresent inorganic fraction of SSA due to atmospheric ageing is largely unexplored. In the atmosphere, SSA may exist as aqueous phase solution droplets or as dried solid or amorphous particles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDimethyl sulfide (DMS) is produced by plankton in oceans and constitutes the largest natural emission of sulfur to the atmosphere. In this work, we examine new particle formation from the primary pathway of oxidation of gas-phase DMS by OH radicals. We particularly focus on particle growth and mass yield as studied experimentally under dry conditions using the atmospheric simulation chamber AURA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSea spray aerosol (SSA) emission is a complex process affected by various controlling factors. This work seeks to deconvolute some of this complexity in a controlled laboratory setting using a plunging jet by varying three key parameters, one at a time: (1) air entrainment rate, (2) seawater temperature, and (3) biomass of phytoplankton. The production of SSA is found to vary linearly with air entrainment rate.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAirborne dispersal of microorganisms influences their biogeography, gene flow, atmospheric processes, human health and transmission of pathogens that affect humans, plants and animals. The extent of their impact depends essentially on cell-survival rates during the process of aerosolization. A central factor for cell-survival is water availability prior to and upon aerosolization.
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