title: Organophosphorus esters in the oceans and possible relation with ocean gyres.
abstract: Four organophosphorus esters (OPEs) were detected in aerosol samples collected in the West Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean from 2009 to 2010, suggesting their circumpolar and global distribution. In general, the highest concentrations were detected near populated regions in China, Australia and New Zealand. OPE concentrations in the Southern Ocean were about two orders of magnitude lower than those near major continents. Additionally, relatively high OPE concentrations were detected at the Antarctic Peninsula, where several scientific survey stations are located. The four OPEs investigated here are significantly correlated with each other, suggesting they may derive from the same source. In the circumpolar transect, OPE concentrations were associated with ocean gyres in the open ocean. Their concentrations were positively related with average vorticity in the sampling area suggesting that a major source of OPEs may be found in ocean gyres where plastic debris is known to accumulate.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Polar Environment, School of Earth and Space Science, University of Science and Technology of China, China.
authors.forename: Wenhan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Zhouqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jules M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Blais
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chengyun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Liguang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000864:Antarctic Regions; D001315:Australia; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004952:Esters / Q000032:analysis*; D019156:Indian Ocean; D009520:New Zealand; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D014866:Waste Products; D014872:Water Movements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004952:Esters; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D014866:Waste Products; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Global contamination; Ocean gyres; Organophosphorus esters