Critical factors in the collection of precipitation for chemical analysis

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975 · J. Great Lakes Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5608569

Galloway, J N

Precipitation is currently collected by several methods, including several different designs of collection apparatus. This paper reports an investigation of the differing methods and designs to determine which gives the most representative sample of precipitation suitable for the determination of conductivity, pH, Ca, Mg, Na, K, NH/sub 4/, NO/sub 3/, SiO/sub 4/, PO/sub 4/, Cl, and SO/sub 4/. The investigation leads to the following conclusions: precipitation samples must exclude dry deposition if accurate information on the chemical content of precipitation is required. Substantial contamination results when glass and plastic collectors are used to sample precipitation for inorganic and organic components, respectively. The inorganic components of precipitation samples of low pH (3.5 to 4.5), with the exception of PO/sub 4/ and Cl exhibited no significant change in concentration when stored at 4/sup 0/C for a period of eight months. This is probably due to the stabilizing influence of a large concentration of hydrogen ions. If quantitative information on the chemical composition is required, precipitation samples should be collected at no longer than weekly intervals if immediate collection is not possible. There is little information available on the sampling of precipitation specifically to determine inputs into lakes. However, two current studies indicate that lake shore and lake buoy sampling stations are comparable except for dry deposition.

• OSTI ID: 5608569
• Journal Information: J. Great Lakes Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Great Lakes Res.; (United States) Vol. 2; ISSN JGLRD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CALCIUM
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINE
DEPOSITION
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
HALOGENS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LAKES
MAGNESIUM
METALS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POTASSIUM
SAMPLERS
SAMPLING
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SODIUM
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
WATER POLLUTION