Implications of a gradient in acid and ion deposition across the northern Great Lakes states

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5594447

Glass, G E; Loucks, O L

Average precipitation pH, 1979-1982, declines from west to east from 5.3 to 4.3 along a cross section of sites in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This answers questions about the seasonal and geographic pattern of anthropogenic acid precursor emissions and reaction products (SO/sub 4//sup -2/, NO/sub 3//sup -/, H/sup +/, NH/sub 4//sup +/) that increase from west to east. Except for higher concentrations of Ca/sup 2 +/ and Mg/sup 2 +/ observed at one site in the cultivated area of southwestern Minnesota, the contribution of soil-related metal cations to the total ions in solution is small (17%) and relatively uniform across the region. Significant seasonal and geographic patterns in precipitation chemistry and deposition values are observed. Close correspondence of the sums of strong acid anions with the sums of hydrogen and ammonium ions in precipitation is observed, indicating anthropogenic sources of sulfur and nitrogen oxides.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Duluth, MN (USA). Environmental Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5594447
• Report Number(s): PB-86-176062/XAB; EPA/600/J-86/002
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CALCIUM
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COAL
COMBUSTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION V
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IONS
MAGNESIUM
MATERIALS
METALS
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
NAPAP
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RAIN
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
VARIATIONS
WISCONSIN