Author(s)

Natalia Onishchuk, Tamara Khodzher, Olga Netsvetaeva

Limnological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia.

This work presents the results of five-year investigations (2010-2014) on the content of water-soluble fraction of heavy metals in atmospheric precipitation in Pribaikalye (Russia). The studies have been performed at the urban (Irkutsk) and rural (Listvyanka) sites within the EANET program (Monitoring of Acid Deposition in East Asia) since 2000. Precipitation was sampled during continuous monitoring. In warm period (May-October), atmospheric precipitation was collected by automatic “wet-only” samplers. In cold season, plastic containers were used for snow sampling. Maximal concentrations of the majority of elements were recorded at site Irkutsk, which is subject to higher anthropogenic impact. The exception was for Pb, Ni and Zn characterized by higher acidity, whose content was higher at the rural site. Maximal concentrations of the majority of elements were recorded in spring during the driest period of the year and minimal in summer with the annual maximal amount of precipitation. Correlation analysis revealed high coefficient of interconnection V and Mn with major acid-forming anions and . Maximal correlation coefficient (0.98) was recorded for Co and at site Listvyanka. There was no correlation between pH of atmospheric precipitation and concentrations of all heavy metals, except Pb. The results obtained show higher level of pollution of atmospheric precipitation by heavy metals at monitoring sites in Pribaikalye compared to some European countries.

Atmospheric Precipitation, Heavy Metals, pH, Pribaikalye, Major Anions, Seasonal Dynamics

Onishchuk, N. , Khodzher, T. and Netsvetaeva, O. (2017) Chemical Composition of Atmospheric Precipitation at Monitoring Sites in Pribaikalye (East Siberia, Russia). American Journal of Climate Change, 6, 374-384. doi: 10.4236/ajcc.2017.62019.