The Arctic Ocean (AO) is experiencing warming at rate twice as fast as the rest of the planet, leading to decreases in both sea ice extent and sea ice density. Currently, research surrounding the AO is mostly focused on the production of primary marine aerosols (PMA) at the ocean surface through bubble bursting and how PMA affect the formation and lifetime of Arctic clouds, which are intimately linked to climate. Because PMA are generated from the ocean surface, it has been suggested that the chemical signatures in surface waters (i.e. characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM)) affect aerosol chemistry, and that microbiology communities ultimately affect chemical signatures. Overall, the microbiology of the AO is largely influenced by ice density, thus it can be assumed that ice density directly influences surface water chemistry. To study changes in DOM along an AO ice density transect a two-month expedition into the AOpack ice aboard Icebreaker Oden was taken (Arctic Ocean Expedition 2018). Water was collected from the marginal ice zone (MIZ), a melt pond, and two open leads for a total offive experiments. This water was placed into a Marine Aerosol Reference Tank (MART) where experimental generation of aerosols was conducted using a pulsing waterfall mechanism. Aerosols were collected from the headspace and two water samples were taken for each experiment: a PreMART sample, representing initial water chemistry, and a PostMART water sample, which was collected in the hopes of identifying how aerosolization affects water chemistry. Using ESI-FTICR-MS and a molecular formula program, molecular level characterization of DOM from these samples was obtained. Each identified peak was assigned a molecular formula type, a compound class, and a structural class. Overall, CHO molecular formulas, lignin/carboxylic-rich salicylic molecule(CRAM)-like compounds, and an olefinic structure were the most abundant for water and aerosol samples. Using principle component analysis (PCA), it was concluded that the initial water chemistry of the MIZ is significantly different than water chemistry within the pack ice, thus supporting the hypothesis that marine chemical signatures are influenced by ice density and light exposure. Generally, the MIZ had higher abundances of unsaturated and aromatic compounds and a higher incorporation of heteroatoms(nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous) while pack ice water samples had more lignin/CRAMlike compounds, higher abundances of saturated molecules, and lower heteroatom incorporation. Further analysis of chemical changes in PreMART and PostMART water samples, as well as more in-depth analysis of aerosol samples, will be needed to further elucidate potential linkages between AO surface water chemistry and PMA chemistry.