What salts do volcanoes add to seawater?

Volcanic eruptions release a variety of gases, aerosols, and particles into the atmosphere, including sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, and carbon dioxide. These gases can react with water vapor in the atmosphere to form acidic aerosols, such as sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and hydrofluoric acid. These acidic aerosols can then be deposited onto the ocean surface through wet deposition (precipitation) or dry deposition (direct fallout).

When acidic aerosols are deposited onto the ocean surface, they can react with seawater to form various salts, including sulfates, chlorides, and fluorides. These salts can increase the salinity of seawater and alter its chemical composition. In particular, the addition of sulfate salts can increase the acidity of seawater, which can have negative impacts on marine organisms, such as coral reefs.

In addition to the salts formed through the reaction of volcanic aerosols with seawater, volcanoes can also release large amounts of dissolved salts directly into the ocean through submarine eruptions or hydrothermal vents. These salts can include sulfates, chlorides, and metals such as iron, copper, and zinc. The release of these salts can significantly alter the chemical composition of seawater in the vicinity of volcanic vents and can have both positive and negative impacts on marine ecosystems.