Atmospheric deposition and trajectories of antimony in Central Europe

Abstract

Antimony (Sb) concentrations were measured in wet atmospheric deposition at 10 high-elevation sites in the Czech Republic (Central Europe) during three winter seasons (2009–2011). Soluble and insoluble Sb forms were quantified in snow (vertical deposition) and rime (horizontal deposition) on mountain summits located equidistantly near the Czech borders with Austria, Germany and Poland. The highest Sb concentrations were found in the soluble form in rime (0.47 μg L−1), while the lowest Sb concentrations were those in the insoluble form in snow (0.017 μg L−1). The estimated average Sb deposition rate in Central Europe amounted to 1.3. 10−4 g m−2 yr−1. Most Sb was deposited in the soluble form in snow (7.9. 10−5 g m−2 yr−1), followed by the soluble form in rime (3.5. 10−5 g m−2 yr−1). The corresponding insoluble fraction contained less Sb, namely 1.2. 10−5 g m−2 yr−1 in snow and 2.3. 10−6 g m−2 yr−1 in rime. The average Sb deposition in Central Europe, measured at an altitude of 1000 m a.s.l., was by six orders of magnitude higher compared to Sb deposition in the Arctic (7. 10−10 g m−2 yr−1), and by four orders of magnitude lower compared to Sb deposition in a Sb–Hg mining district in China (7 g m−2 yr−1). Using the HYSPLIT model, backward trajectories of air masses indicated that the Sb sources were predominantly situated in Upper and Lower Silesia.