  Bubbles dispersed in liquids are widely present in many natural and
industrial processes, and play a key role in mediating mass transfer during
their lifetime from formation to rising to bursting. In particular,
nano/micro-sized particulates and organisms, present in the bulk water can be
highly enriched in the jet drops ejected during bubble bursting, impacting
global climate and public health. However, the detailed mechanism of this
enrichment remains obscure, with the enrichment factor being difficult to
predict. Here, we experimentally investigate the enrichment of nano/micro-sized
particles in bubble bursting jet drops and highlight the underlying
hydrodynamic mechanism, combining the effects of bubble scavenge and bursting
on the transport of particles. Scaling laws for the enrichment factor are
subsequently proposed that describe both our and prior experimental results
reasonably well. Our study may provide new insights for water-to-air transfer
of microbes related to bubble bursting.
