Monsoonal variations in atmospheric surfactants at different coastal areas of the Malaysian Peninsula

• We determined the effect of monsoonal changes on the composition of atmospheric surfactants.
• Anions and major elements were used to determine sources of aerosols.
• Monsoonal changes were found to significantly affect the concentration of surfactants.
• Motor vehicles and biomass burning with marine aerosol are major sources of atmospheric surfactant.

This study determined the effect of monsoonal changes on the composition of atmospheric surfactants in coastal areas. The composition of anions (SO42 −, NO3−, Cl−, F−) and the major elements (Ca, K, Mg, Na) in aerosols were used to determine the possible sources of surfactants. Surfactant compositions were determined using a colorimetric method as methylene blue active substances (MBAS) and disulphine blue active substances (DBAS). The anion and major element compositions of the aerosol samples were determined by ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. The results indicated that the concentrations of surfactant in aerosols were dominated by MBAS (34–326 pmol m− 3). Monsoonal changes were found to significantly affect the concentration of surfactants. Using principal component analysis-multiple linear regressions (PCA-MLR), major possible sources for surfactants in the aerosols were motor vehicle emissions, secondary aerosol and the combustion of biomass along with marine aerosol.