title: Precipitation composition and wet deposition temporal pattern in Central Serbia for the period from 1998 to 2004.
abstract: Bulk samples collected on a daily basis at three principal meteorological stations in central Serbia were analyzed on chloride (Cl(-)), nitrate (NO(3)(-)), sulfate (SO(4)(2-)), sodium (Na(+)), ammonium (NH(4)(+)), potassium (K(+)), calcium (Ca(2+)), and magnesium (Mg(2+)) in addition to precipitation amount, pH and conductivity measurements over the period 1998-2004. The data were subjected to variety of analyses (linear regression, principal component analysis, time series analysis) to characterize precipitation chemistry in the study area. The most abundant ion was SO(2-)(4) with annual volume weighted mean concentration of 242 microeq L(-1). Neutralization of precipitation acidity occurs both as a result of the dissolution of alkaline compounds containing Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and K(+) as well as the absorption of ammonia. The ratio of SO(4)(2-)/NO(3)(-) was above 5, which indicated that the combustion process of low-grade domestic lignite for electricity generation from coal-fired thermal power plants was the main source of pollution in the investigated area. A considerable mean annual bulk wet deposition of SO(4)-S determined by precipitation amount and concentrations of sulfate in the precipitation was calculated to be 12-35 kg ha(-1).
authors.affiliation: Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, POB 522, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Golobocanin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zujić
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milenković
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miljević
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D011891:Rain / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors; D015022:Yugoslavia
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants