Atmospheric deposition at Rothamsted, Saxmundham and Woburn Experimental Stations, England, 1969-1984.

The pH of precipitation, and the concentrations in precipitation and depositions by precipitation of H+, major cations, N, S, and chloride were measured in bulk collectors at three sites in Eastern England. The Rothamsted site is 100 km from the coast in a semi-urban environment. The Saxmundham site is 13 km and the Woburn site 120 km from the coast; both are in rural environments. Precipitation is acidic at all three sites, with a pH of 4.3 at Rothamsted and 5.0 at Saxmundham and Woburn at present, but the pH has been increasing. Precipitation chemistry is chiefly controlled by sea-salts (Na, Mg, Cl) and earth salts (K, Ca, Mg, NH4, N03). Sea-salts dominate near the coast at Saxmundham, but earth salts become much more important inland at Rothamsted and at Woburn. The concentration and deposition of non-sea Cl are increasing at Rothamsted and Saxmundham, those of non-sea SO4-S are increasing at Woburn, and those of NO3-N are increasing at all of the sites. Precipitation acidity is associated chiefly with non-sea SO4, and only a little with NO3 and non-sea Cl, at Rothamsted and Woburn. At Saxmundham, no correlation between acidity and anions is observed, presumably because of the overwhelming effect of sea-salts.

RESP-09500