K. Naumann

Distribution and Fate of Heavy Metals in the North Sea

In recent years coastal and shelf systems such as the North Sea have attracted considerable attention where heavy metal studies are concerned. There has been growing concern over the last decade regarding the effects of industrial discharges on heavy metal levels in nearshore waters and ecosystems, which has been documented in the reports of the first and second International North Sea Conference. As a result of the high input of pollutants from both the British Isles and the European continent, and a limited dilution on account of the shallow waters, the southern North Sea has often been regarded as the most heavily polluted marine area in the world since the early seventies (Weichart 1973). Metal pollution assessments from sediment analysis (e.g., Groot et al. 1971; Banat et al. 1972; Gadow and Schafer 1973) formed a background of these early discussions.

Quantitative determination of sources in urban aerosols using chemical receptor models

Abstract A chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model was used to determine the contributions of primary particle sources to ambient total suspended particulate matter (TSP) in four German cities. The CMB model was applied to each of 210 weekly filter samples collected during a one year period (March 1981 – 1982). The concentrations of 25 elements in ambient air and source emissions were used to calculate the contributions of the sources to TSP. Primary particle sources were found to account on average for 30 – 40% of TSP. Mineral particles, traffic, and coal combustion proved to be the largest single contributors. Other industrial high temperature sources contribute only a minor fraction of TSP, but are major sources for many volatile trace elements. Traffic emissions represent an important source not only for Pb and Br, but also for Cu, Sb, Cr, Fe, and Zn.

Windrichtungsabhängige Probenahme und Multielementanalyse von Aerosolen zur besseren Beurteilung der Immissionsbelastung

SummaryThere is an increasing need for detailed investigation of air pollutant concentrations, e.g. for the determination of transport rates of airborne particulates in testing dispersion models or for source apportionment studies. Because there is a variety of variables determining ambient levels of aerosol constituents, especially meteorological parameters, it is rather difficult to obtain representative values for atmospheric pollutant levels, e.g. well defined mean concentrations, if low sampling frequencies with periodic measurements are used. A new sampling system for better evaluation of air pollutant measurements with a High Volume Sampler controlled by wind direction and wind speed is described. The aerosol samples collected on membrane filters of 1.2 μm mean pore diameter are digested with a mixture of perchloric, nitric, and hydrofluoric acid. For multielement analysis Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with Atomization in the Graphite Furnace (GF-AAS) were used. The analysis of wind directed samples collected in Hamburg showed, that there is significant increase of ambient elemental concentrations due to emissions of several industrial sources.ZusammenfassungBei Immissionsuntersuchungen werden zunehmend differenzierte Aussagen gefordert, wie beispielsweise der spezifische Beitrag einzelner Emittenten oder die Transportraten für partikuläre Schadstoffe bei der Validierung von Ausbreitungsmodellen. Werden für solche Untersuchungen Aerosolproben nur stichprobenartig gesammelt, so lassen sich weitergehende Informationen nur mit erheblichem Aufwand gewinnen. Zur besseren Beurteilung von Immissionsbelastungen durch Aerosole wurde ein Analysenverfahren ausgearbeitet, das bereits bei der Probenahme Richtung und Geschwindigkeit des horizontalen Windes berücksichtigt und zur Steuerung eines High-Volume-Samplers benutzt. Zur Abtrennung und Anreicherung des Aerosols aus der suspendierenden Meßluft werden großflächige Membranfilter verwendet. Weiterhin werden die Bedingungen für den naßchemischen Aufschluß der Meßfilter mit einem Gemisch aus HNO3, HClO4 und HF vorgestellt. Für die Multielementanalyse der Aerosolproben wird eine Kombination von Atomemissionsspektrometrie (ICP-AES) und Atomabsorptionsspektrometrie (Graphitrohrofen-AAS) erfolgreich eingesetzt. Mit der verwendeten Probenahmetechnik konnte bereits mit relativ wenigen Messungen eine signifikante Erhöhung der Immissionskonzentration durch die Emissionen des Hamburger Industriegebietes nachgewiesen werden.

On the dependence of aerosol transport and deposition on wind speed in the southern north sea region

Abstract This contribution presents a system which already takes into account direction and speed of the local horizontal wind for aerosol sampling. The results are showing the dependence of transport and deposition of trace elements on wind speed over open sea.

Transformation and transport of nitrogen compounds above the North Sea investigated by aircraft measurements

Abstract The aircraft measurements presented here aimed at studying the Mid-European plume entering the North Sea region. They revealed a remarkable difference for the vertical distribution of nitrate and sulphate within the mixing layer. On the average sulphate was found to be more uniformly distributed while nitrate concentrations were enhanced at lower altitudes. This is explained as a result of different emission heights and conversion rates of SO 2 and NO x . An approach to correct for transport phenomena is presented to explain part of the observed horizontal inhomogenities.