Snowpack quality as an indicator of air pollution in Finnish Lapland and the Kola Peninsula,NW Russia

Bulk snow samples were collected from the snowpack in open areas along two sampling lines running to the west from the Cu-Ni smelters at Nikel and Monchegorsk, NW Russia, during 1991–1993. The aim of the study was to estimate the area affected by sulphur and heavy metal deposition from the smelters. Snowpack quality was used as an indicator of deposition during winter time. The total sulphur, copper and nickel concentrations in the snowpack decreased significantly (p<0.001) with=" increasing=" distance=" from=" the=" smelters=" along=" the=" sampling=" line=" running=" directly=" to=" the=" west=" from=" monchegorsk.=" the=" deposition=" pattern=" was=" similar=" each=" winter=" during=" 1991–1993.=" the=" ph=" values=" did=" not=" correlate=" with=" the=" corresponding=" sulphur=" concentrations,=" and=" there=" was=" no=" decreasing=" ph=" gradient=" in=" the=" snowpack=" on=" moving=" towards=" monchegorsk.=" the=" effects=" of=" sulphur=" emissions=" from=" monchegorsk=" on=" snowpack=" chemistry=" were=" not=" detectable=" on=" the=" finnish=" side=" of=" the=" border.=" the=" 3-year=" mean=" of=" the=" total=" sulphur=" concentration=" was=" 0.27=" mg/kg,=" and=" of=" the=" ph=" values=" 4.92,=" along=" the=" sampling=" line=" running=" to=" the=" west=" of=" monchegorsk.=" the=" total=" sulphur=" concentrations=" near=" the=" smelters=">< 20=" km)=" varied=" between=" 0.37=" and=" 0.95=" mg/kg.=" the=" effect=" of=" the=" cu-ni=" smelters=" at=" nikel=" on=" snowpack=" quality=" was=" not=" detectable=" in=" northern=" finnish=" lapland.=" the=" 3-year=" mean=" for=" total=" sulphur=" was=" 0.20=" mg/kg=" and=" for=" ph=" 4.96=" along=" the=" sampling=" line=" running=" to=" the=" west=" of=">