Cloudwater chemistry from ten sites in North America

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00174a004· OSTI ID:5987786

Weathers, K C; Likens, G E; Bormann, F H; Bicknell, S H; Bormann, B T; Daube, Jr, B C; Eaton, J S; Galloway, J N; Keene, W C; Kimball, K D

Cloudwater and rainwater samples were collected at 2.5 m above ground during 2 years from 10 nonurban sites in North America. On the average, cloudwater collected from sites in the eastern United States was more acidic and had higher concentrations of NO/sub 3//sup -/ and SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/ than that at sites in the western United States and Puerto Rico. Of all the sites in the network, cloudwater from Maine had the highest concentrations of these ions. Concentrations of hydrogen ion, nitrate, and sulfate were significantly higher in cloudwater than in rainwater at most sites; however, on a paired-event basis, enrichment factors for cloud vs rain varied greatly. In contrast to distributions of inorganic anions, the concentrations of formate and acetate in cloudwater and rainwater were similar at sites in the western and eastern United States, suggesting that these compounds originated primarily with natural rather than anthropogenic sources.

• Research Organization: New York Botanical Garden, Millbrook (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5987786
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 22:9; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ARKANSAS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CLOUDS
DATA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION I
FEDERAL REGION II
FEDERAL REGION III
FEDERAL REGION VI
FEDERAL REGION X
GREATER ANTILLES
HYDROGEN IONS
INFORMATION
IONS
ISLANDS
MAINE
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW YORK
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OREGON
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PUERTO RICO
RAIN
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
USA
VIRGINIA
WEST INDIES