Sea air
Template:Short description Sea air has traditionally been thought to offer health benefits associated with its unique odor, which is caused by dimethyl sulfide, released by microbes.[1]
Salts generally do not dissolve in air, but can be carried by sea spray in the form of particulate matter.
In the early 19th century, a lower prevalence of disease in coastal regions or islands was attributed to the sea air.[2] Such medical beliefs were translated into the literature of Jane Austen and other authors.[3] Victorians mistakenly attributed the odor of sea air to ozone.
Later that century, such beliefs led to the establishment of seaside resorts for the treatment of tuberculosis,[4] with medical beliefs of its efficacy continuing into the 20th century.[5] However, the quality of sea air was often degraded by pollution from wood- and coal-burning ships. Today those fuels are gone, replaced by high sulphur oil in diesel engines, which generate sulphate aerosols.[6]
See also
References
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Further reading
- Hassan, John. The Seaside, Health and Environment in England and Wales Since 1800. Ashgate Publishing.