Abstract

In the late 1970s, it was recognised that organic acids contributed to the acidity and ionic content of rainwater, but that these acids had not been detected because they were consumed biologically in the period between rainwater collection and subsequent laboratory analysis. Discussion of consequences for measured rainwater composition has been limited to assessment of pH gain that attends organic acid loss. We show that biological effects on rainwater ionic composition are not restricted to pH alone. Ammonium, potassium, nitrate, sulfate, methanesulfonate, and phosphate ions are also removed biologically, but remain in the rainwater in biomass, implying that most previous rainwater composition studies based on ionic analyses will have systematically underestimated nutrient deposition.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.