title: Rainwater chemistry at the summit and southern flank of the Itatiaia massif, Southeastern Brazil.
abstract: Wet deposition and related rainwater chemistry were studied at the Itatiaia massif, on which is settled the Itatiaia National Park (INP). Samples were simultaneously collected on a weekly basis over 12 months, using automated wet and dry samplers, at the INP-Headquarters (INP-Hq; altitude=820 m) and the Itatiaia Plateau (It-Pt; altitude=2460 m). Conductivity, pH, Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+), NH(4)(+), Cl(-), NO(3)(-) and SO(4)(2-) were determined in 36 rainwater samples. Volume-weighted mean (VWM) pH was lower at the INP-Hq (4.9) than at the It-Pt (5.3). Very strong correlation between Cl(-) and Na(+) was found for the INP-Hq (r=0.99). At the Itatiaia massif, SO(4)(2-), NO(3)(-), and NH(4)(+) comprised together about 60% of the total inorganic ions and appear to exert the major control on rainwater pH.
authors.affiliation: Departmento de Geoquímica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Química, Centro, Niterói, RJ, 24.020-007, Brazil. zamboni@geoq.uff.br
authors.forename: William Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: de Mello
authors.forename: Marcelo D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: de Almeida
mesh_terms: D015258:Acid Rain / Q000032:analysis; D000838:Anions / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil; D002412:Cations / Q000032:analysis; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D011891:Rain; D013431:Sulfates / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015258:Acid Rain; D000838:Anions; D002412:Cations; D009566:Nitrates; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D013431:Sulfates; D006859:Hydrogen