Die Bestimmung repräsentativer Mittelwerte von Schwermetall-Konzentrationen in den Niederschlägen und im Sickerwasser von Wald-Standorten des Soiling

Heavy metals in precipitation and seepage water from forest sites in the Soiling: Determination of representative averages of heavy metal concentrations Concentrations of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were determined in open land precipitation, in precipitation below canopy and in seepage water in two different soil depths, over the period of 3 years, in monthly and half-yearly intervals, in a beech and a spruce forest of the Soiling mountains. The results of the concentration measurements and the element fluxes calculated from these data were treated statistically. The coefficients of variation of the concentrations and the fluxes within a given time period often exceeded 100%. It is proposed that, in order to determine meaningful average values, weighted samples are taken in half-year or year intervals, over the time span of several years, in a number of local replicates sufficient to reduce the error of the mean to less than 30%. For the investigation of time variations in the concentrations and fluxes the sampling of single rain events or of seepage water within short time periods (a few days) is suggested.