MARITIME EMISSION OF SELENIUM TO THE ATMOSPHERE IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEAS

Results presented in this article report the first assessment of at le ast 3 volatile selenium species (MeSeH, DMSe, DMDSe) in marine water a nd air. Dimethyl selenide (DMSe) was the main compound encountered and the total concentration of the volatile selenides was found to be cor related with the marine plankton biomass as measured through chlorophy ll a content. Estimation of a net selenium flux from the ocean to the marine atmosphere has been established. This gaseous flux corroborates previous hypotheses on selenium cycling and indicates that maritime e missions are: a major source of selenium to the atmosphere in the Medi terranean basin.