Soluble ferrous iron (Fe (II)) enrichment in airborne dust

The input of soluble iron in dust delivered to the ocean and lakes is critical to their biogeochemistry and phytoplankton productivity. Most iron in soils and sediment deposits is insoluble, while only a tiny fraction is soluble and therefore suitable to meet the phytoplankton's requirements for photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation. Aerosol deposition constitutes a major source of soluble iron to oceans and lakes, and in some regions the low phytoplankton productivity has been related to limitations in the supply of soluble iron from terrestrial sources. It is suggested that during atmospheric transport part of the insoluble iron is converted into soluble form. While the understanding of increased bioavailability of iron during atmospheric transport is improving, there are only a limited number of studies that actually quantify the increase in iron bioavailability in dust. In this study we compare the soluble ferrous iron, Fe (II) content in dust collected at deposition sites in the high-altitude mountains of the Sierra Nevada, Spain, to the source of dust in North Africa. We found that the dust is greatly enriched (on average 15 times) in Fe (II) relative to the fine fraction (<45 µm) of the parent soil collected from North African dust sources.