RUI: Flux of Dissolved Organic Carbon in Coastal Rainwater

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9530069 Willey The project investigates the chemical composition of rainwater samples collected at a coastal location in Wilmington, NC, and relates variations in the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to air mass origin. The Wilmington site (UNCW) is suited for wet deposition research because it receives precipitation from continental and maritime storms. The decade of rainwater research conducted by the PI at the Wilmington site shows the chemical composition of rain from the two storm types to differ with respect to pH, inorganic ions, formic and acetic acids, and during cold seasons, hydrogen peroxide concentrations. Results obtained from the project will help to quantify levels of DOC that are removed from the atmosphere through wet deposition. This information is relevant to processes affecting carbon accumulation in the atmosphere. As a Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) Activity, the three-year project will support one graduate student full-time (masters level), and six undergraduate students as summer research assistants. Student assistants will be involved in sample collection, chemical analysis, and data interpretation relating to precipitation events. The UNCW rainwater project has been an effective mechanism for training undergraduates in an applied area of analytical chemical research. The project will continue to make significant contributions to the development of human resources in science. *** ATM-9530069