Microalgae in sea spray aerosols - Hélène de Maleprade

Microalgae in sea spray aerosols Hélène de Maleprade 09/10/2026 During harmful algal blooms, the population of toxic microalgae increases dramatically while there is an increasing number of reports of respiratory distress, suggesting airborne transmission of biological matter. Exchange of matter between ocean and atmosphere is driven by sea spray aerosols. The bursting of air bubbles, emitting jet drops, strongly contributes to sea spray production and enables the spreading of microplastics and bacteria, captured in the jet droplets. While algal toxins have been shown to aerosolise, little is known about the occurrence of cells in sea spray. In this talk, I will discuss how a variety of microalgae are entrapped in sea spray aerosols, and justify why they are much more concentrated in the ejected drops than in the water column.