Funded under the first AQUARIUS Call, the BASEVOC project ran from April to September 2025 with the aim of enhancing understanding of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the marine atmosphere. Coordinated by the University of Copenhagen, in collaboration with Lund University, and GEOMAR, the project focused on the role of biologically derived trace gases in ocean–atmosphere interactions.
AQUARIUS enabled access to the Utö Marine and Atmospheric Research Station, located on Utö Island in the Baltic Sea and managed by the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Its relatively remote setting and high biological activity, including phytoplankton blooms, made it an ideal site for continuous measurements over a six-month period.
Using eddy covariance techniques, Proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry measurements, and high-frequency automated phytoplankton observations, BASEVOC pursued two main objectives. The first was to quantify air–sea exchanges of VOCs, improving understanding of their dynamics in marine environments. The second was to investigate how VOCs appear in ship emissions in an area, with more than 1,000 ship passages recorded during the campaign.
“Through the BASEVOC project, we aim to bridge critical knowledge gaps in marine VOC dynamics and shipping emissions, advancing our understanding of their role in climate processes and environmental impacts, while promoting the transition to sustainable practices in the maritime industry,” noted the University of Copenhagen.
By combining continuous high-resolution measurements with complementary environmental data, BASEVOC contributes valuable insights into the links between biological activity, atmospheric chemistry, and human pressures in the Baltic Sea.