Long-term relationships between SO2 and NOx emissions and SO4(2-) and NO3- concentration in bulk deposition at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, NH.
A highly significant second-order polynomial relation between SO(2) emissions and SO(4)(2-) concentrations during 1970-2000 (r(2)= 0.80, p= <0.001), and a linear relation between NO(x) and NO(3)(-) concentrations during 1991-2000 (r(2)= 0.67, p= 0.004) in bulk precipitation were found for the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, NH based on emissions from a 24 h, back-trajectory determined source area. Earlier periods (1965-1980) for SO(2)ratio SO(4)(2-) and longer periods (1965-2000) for NO(x)ratio NO(3)(-) had poorer linear relations, r(2)= 0.03, p= 0.51 and r(2)= 0.22, p= 0.004, respectively. Methodology by the US Environmental Protection Agency for calculating emissions data during this period has changed significantly and frequently, making trend analysis difficult. Given the large potential for errors in estimating emissions and to a lesser extent, deposition, the robust relations between SO(2) emissions and SO(4)(2-) concentrations in bulk precipitation at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest show that careful, long-term measurements from a single monitoring site can provide sound and reasonable data on trends in air pollution.
Likens
Gene E
GE
Institute of Ecosystem Studies, P.O. Box AB, 65 Sharon Turnpike, Millbrook, New York, NY 12545, USA. LikensG@ecostudies.org
Buso
Donald C
DC
Butler
Thomas J
TJ
D015258:Acid Rain; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*; D002170:Canada; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D009566:Nitrates / Q000737:chemistry*; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013431:Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry*; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D014197:Trees; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency
D015258:Acid Rain; D000393:Air Pollutants; D009566:Nitrates; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D013431:Sulfates; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide