biostudies-literatureUnknown6Ceburnis DStable carbon isotope ratios in marine aerosol collected over the Southern Indian Ocean revealed δ¹³C values ranging from -20.0‰ to -28.2‰. The isotope ratios exhibited a strong correlation with the fractional organic matter (OM) enrichment in sea spray aerosol. The base-level isotope ratio of -20.0‰ is characteristic of an aged Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) pool contributing a relatively homogeneous background level of DOM to oceanic waters. The range of isotope ratios, extending down to -28.2‰, is characteristic of more variable, stronger, and fresher Particulate Organic Matter (POM) pool driven by trophic level interactions. We present a conceptual dual-pool POM-DOM model which comprises a 'young' and variable POM pool which dominates enrichment in sea-spray and an 'aged' buScientific reports36675https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5098177biostudies-literatureStable isotopes measurements reveal dual carbon pools contributing to organic matter enrichment in marine aerosol.PMC5098177Remeikis VGarbaras AOvadnevaite JCeburnis DMaenhaut WMasalaite ASciare JBaisnee DClaeys MO'Dowd CDfalseStable isotopes measurements reveal dual carbon pools contributing to organic matter enrichment in marine aerosol.Stable carbon isotope ratios in marine aerosol collected over the Southern Indian Ocean revealed δ¹³C values ranging from -20.0‰ to -28.2‰. The isotope ratios exhibited a strong correlation with the fractional organic matter (OM) enrichment in sea spray aerosol. The base-level isotope ratio of -20.0‰ is characteristic of an aged Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) pool contributing a relatively homogeneous background level of DOM to oceanic waters. The range of isotope ratios, extending down to -28.2‰, is characteristic of more variable, stronger, and fresher Particulate Organic Matter (POM) pool driven by trophic level interactions. We present a conceptual dual-pool POM-DOM model which comprises a 'young' and variable POM pool which dominates enrichment in sea-spray and an 'aged' bu2016-01-01T00:00:00Z2016 Nov2025-04-18T20:50:25.072Z2019-03-27T02:28:24ZS-EPMC50981772781929710.1038/srep36675