Long-range transport of trace elements to Southern Norway studied by I.N.A.A. of air filters

The present work is a multi-element study of air concentrations at Birkenes, Southern Norway, based on daily filter samples during 1985. Sixteen elements are determined regularly by INAA; i.e. Na, Al, Cl, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Se, Br, Ag, Sb, La. In addition sulfate is determined by ion chromatography and Cu, Ni, Cd and Pb by electrothermal AAS. The main aim of the study is to see whether the air concentrations of long-range transported pollutants have changes significantly since 1979 when a similar study was last performed. Analysis of inter-element correlations in the two data series serves to define four main aerosol compounds: One ''general pollution'', one marine, one soil, and one ''fossil-fuel'' component. Classification of air samples with respect to emission areas according to calculated air trajectories indicates from the limited number of 1985 samples analyzed so far that the contribution of air pollutants from Eastern Europe is at least as high as in 1979 while that from Western Europe has decreased. This decrease is evident for Pb in particular. (author)