Geochemical investigations on atmospheric precipitation in a medium-sized city (Göttingen,F.R.G.)

The concentration of 27 elements was investigated in 10 samples of precipitation from Göttingen, collected during May and September 1972. Göttingen is a non-industrial town of 130000 inhabitants, situated in a rural area, and essentially all the dissolved and undissolved material in rainwater is locally derived. Elemental concentrations in freshwater and shale are used for comparison with the dissolved elements in precipitation and the undissolved residue. The two phases have been separated after evaporation (concentration factors: 15 to 25-times). Phosphorous, Zn, Mn, and Pb are enriched in rainwater, while Si, Mg, Na, Ca, Cl, Fe, Hg, K, Li, and Al are depleted relative to average freshwater. Sulfate, Cd, and Cu have similar concentrations in rain and freshwater. The factors of accumulation between elements in residue and average shale are calculated after normalization to the Al-value. They are: ? 100 for Ag, Hg, Pb; between 10 and 20 for Zn, Cd, P, Cu, Mo; > 2 for Cr, Bi, Ni, Ba, Ti, V ; between 0.9 and 2.0 for Rb, K, Na, Li, Mg, Mn, Fe, Si, Ca; and 0.5 for Tl. The trace element accumulation is due to different anthropogenic sources: combustion of liquid petroleum fuels contributes to Ph, V, Ni, Mo, Hg, and sulfate, combustion of coal to Ba, sulfate, and chloride, and to the. readily volatile elements such as Hg, Cd, Tl, Bi, and Ag, combustion of refuse to Ag, Bi, Pb, Cd, Hg, Zn, Cr, Cu, Ba, and Mo in highly variable amounts. Fertilizers and road salts change the chemistry of soils and indirectly supply P, alkali and alkaline-earth metals to the fly dust. Modest industrial activity is responsible for high Cu and Cr concentrations. Despite the appreciable accumulation of some toxic elements, the precipitation in Göttingen is relatively pure compared to other areas. Favorable geologic conditions around Göttingen decrease the negative influences of potentially harmful airborne elements. The high carbonate content in the dust neutralizes the anthropogenic acids in the rainwater. Furthermore, the toxic trace elements are diluted, especially in the center of Göttingen, by a large amount of airborne dust.