Inorganic Pollutants in Wet Atmospheric Deposition and the Trajectories of Their Possible Transport

Abstract

This work is concerned with analysis of the transport trajectories and identification of the probable emission sources of a set of chemical elements monitored in samples of atmospheric precipitation collected in the area of Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. This is based on evaluation of the significance of transport trajectories obtained using the HYSPLIT model for specific periods of duration of the sampled precipitation episodes in dependence on the values of the corrected concentrations of the monitored elements in the individual samples. The proposed method of correction of the measured concentrations of the elements is concerned with elimination of meteorological effects that are unspecific from with respect to the direction of the transport trajectories. The results for the group of elements with higher concentration levels in the sampled precipitation agree with the assumptions on their probable most important sources. The common main source of Na, Mg and Ca is marine aerosol, while K, P and Mn are probably of biogenic origin. The common main sources of Al and Fe—probably terrigenic dust—also correspond to the assumptions. Sulfur does not exhibit a significant predominant direction to the sampling site. Zinc, Cd, Cu and also Si are transported to the greatest degree from the north-westerly direction, indicating the probable effect of large energy-production sources in the area under the Krusne Mountains in the CR or the effect of traffic in the Capital City of Prague. The predominant direction of dispersion of Pb and As is a north-easterly to easterly direction of transport.