Air Pollution from Ships: A Surprising Source of Sulfate

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Burton Adrian, Mark Thiemens, Gerardo Dominguez, Brad Collins, Spyros Pandis, Geoff Millward, Michael Robinson-Dorn

Primary Institution: University of California, San Diego

Are ships responsible for a significant amount of sulfate pollution in coastal air?

Ships burning bunker oil contribute a much larger percentage of sulfate particles in coastal air than previously thought.

Ships burning bunker oil are responsible for a significant fraction of sulfate particles in coastal areas.
On some days, ship smoke contributed up to 44% of fine particle sulfate in air samples.
Primary sulfate from ships could account for 4–25% of the annual maximum fine particle exposure limit set by the EPA.
Epidemiological studies link particulate matter to respiratory illness and cardiopulmonary mortality.
Regulations are being implemented to reduce sulfur content in ship fuel based on health impact evidence.

This study found that smoke from ships can add a lot of harmful sulfate particles to the air, more than people realized before.

The researchers collected air samples from ship smoke and coastal areas, isolating sulfate for isotopic analysis.

The study primarily focuses on sulfate and may not account for other pollutants from ships.

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