Stable bromine isotopic composition of atmospheric CH3Br.

Tropospheric methyl bromide (CH3Br) is the largest source of bromine to the stratosphere and plays an important role in ozone depletion. Here, the first stable bromine isotope composition (δ81Br) of atmospheric CH3Br is presented. The δ81Br of higher concentration Stockholm samples and free air subarctic Abisko samples suggest a source/background value of −0.04±0.28‰ ranging up to +1.75±0.12‰. The Stockholm δ81Br versus concentration relationship corresponds to an apparent isotope enrichment factor of −4.7±3.7‰, representing the combined reaction sink. This study demonstrates the scientific potential of atmospheric δ81Br measurements, which in the future may be combined with other isotope systems in a top-down inverse approach to further understand key source and sink processes of methyl bromide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]