Chemistry of snow cover and acidic snowfall during a season with a high level of air pollution on the Hans Glacier, Spitsbergen

Nawrot, A.; Migała, Krzysztof; Luks, Bartłomiej; Pakszys, Paulina; Głowacki, Piotr

doi:10.1016/j.polar.2016.06.003

Cited by 43 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Since the area is geologically varied and underlain mainly by metamorphic rocks (with newer ore-bearing veins) [22,24,26,34], the substratum is a likely source of multiple metals and metalloids in the surface waters. Furthermore, the ubiquitous influence of marine aerosol has been described in local precipitation waters (e.g., by [35]).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Differences in the Chemical Composition of Surface Water in the Hornsund Fjord Area: A Statistical Analysis with A Focus on Local Pollution Sources

Kozioł

Ruman

Pawlak

et al. 2020

Water

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Surface catchments in Svalbard are sensitive to external pollution, and yet what is frequently considered external contamination may originate from local sources and natural processes. In this work, we analyze the chemical composition of surface waters in the catchments surrounding the Polish Polar Station in Svalbard, Hornsund fjord area. We have pooled unpublished and already published data describing surface water composition in 2010, related to its pH, electrical conductivity (EC), metals and metalloids, total organic carbon (TOC) and selected organic compound concentrations, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and surfactants. These data were statistically analyzed for spatial differences, using Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA and principal component analysis (PCA), with distance from the station in the PCA approximating local human activity impact. The geological composition of the substratum was found to be a strong determinant of metal and metalloid concentrations, sufficient to explain significant differences between the studied water bodies, except for the concentration of Cr. The past and present human activity in the area may have contributed also to some of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), although only in the case of naphthalene can such an effect be confirmed by an inverse correlation with distance from the station. Other likely factors contributing to the chemical concentrations in the local waters are marine influence, long-range pollution transport and release from past deposition in the environment.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Differences in the Chemical Composition of Surface Water in the Hornsund Fjord Area: A Statistical Analysis with A Focus on Local Pollution Sources

Kozioł

Ruman

Pawlak

et al. 2020

Water

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“…Interesting conclusions were obtained that the content of calcium, magnesium and potassium in snow cover is much higher than in wet precipitations, and the concentrations of sulfates and nitrates are comparable in both types of samples and have been decreasing in recent years. Nawrot et al (2016) studied the chemical composition and the acidity of the snow cover of the Hans Glacier in the South of Svalbard during the season 2005-2006. This season was both the warmest (the mean January temperature was -1.7 ° C in January) and with the highest level of in precipitation since 1988, also, within this season 1.3 m of snow accumulated on the Hans Glacier.…”

Section: Temporal Variations In Chemical Composition Of Snow Cover Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal Variations in Chemical Composition of Snow Cover in Moscow

Еремина

Vasil’chuk

2019

GES

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This article summarizes the data of the chemical composition and the acidity of the seasonal snow precipitation for the cold periods 1999-2006 (n=180), 2010-2013 (n=82) and 2018-2019 (n=18) in different parts of Moscow. Major ions content was measured, such as SO42-, НСO3-, Cl-, NO3-, Са2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+ and NH4+, also pH and sum of ions (mg/L) were measured. During the 2018-2019 season, snowpack samples were taken twice at 4 sites in Moscow: two in the North-East Administrative Okrug (NEAO) near the road and in the park at the distance of 3 km from each other, and two in the South- Western Administrative Okrug (SWAO) and in the Western Administrative Okrug (WAO) near the road and in the park at the distance of 6 km from each other. Samples were taken with a break of 5 days to determine the dynamics of the chemical composition within the beginning of the snow-melting. In each pair of sampling sites there was one that is located in the park and one located near the road. This experiment showed a slight variability of the chemical composition of snow during 5 days under the influence of the new snowfall. In general, there is a trend of changing the composition of snow from calcium carbonate to calcium chloride, which is mainly connected to the use of anti-icing reagents; for the same reason, the areas that are closer to the roads are the most polluted.

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“…The proximity of the volcanic plume source and its effect on snow chemical composition might have been intensified by the topography in the area. The base of the orographic clouds contains the majority of the pollutants compared to the upper part of the cloud and therefore the most polluted snow precipitated on lower slopes of the Dyngjujökull glacier (Dore et al, 1992(Dore et al, , 1996Nawrot et al, 2016). Predictions of the atmospheric SO2 distribution around Iceland during the eruption period based on the CALPUFF air quality model (Gislason et al, 2015) show, that atmospheric SO2 concentration was higher than 350 µg/m 3 for 9-18 of the eruption days and the highest concentrations were close to the eruption site.…”

Section: Spatial and Temporal Evolution Of Chemical Composition Of Thmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollution from the 2014–15 Bárðarbunga eruption monitored by snow cores from the Vatnajökull glacier, Iceland

Galeczka

Eiríksdóttir

Pálsson

et al. 2017

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research

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The chemical composition of Icelandic rain and snow is dominated by marine aerosols, however human and volcanic activity can also affect these compositions. The six month long 2014-15 Bárðarbunga volcanic eruption was the largest in Iceland for more than 200 years and it released into the atmosphere an average of 60 kt/day SO2, 30 kt/day CO2, 500 t/day HCl and 280 t/day HF. To study the effect of this eruption on the winter precipitation, snow cores were collected from the Vatnajökull glacier and the highlands northeast of the glacier. In addition to 29 bulk snow cores from that precipitated from September, 2014 until March, 2015, two cores were sampled in 21 and 44 increments to quantify the spatial and time evolution of the chemical composition of the snow. The pH and chemical compositions of melted snow samples indicate that snow has been affected by the volcanic gases emitted during the Bárðarbunga eruption. The pH of the melted bulk snow cores ranged from 4.41 to 5.64 with an average value of 5.01. This is four times greater H + activity than pure water saturated with the atmospheric CO2. The highest concentrations of volatiles in the snow cores were found close to the eruption site as predicted from CALPUFF SO2 gas dispersion quality model. The anion concentrations (mainly SO4, Cl, and F) were higher and the pH was lower compared to equivalent snow samples collected during 1997−2006 from the unpolluted Icelandic Langjökull glacier. Higher SO4 and Cl concentrations in the snow compared with the unpolluted rainwater of marine origin confirms the addition of a non−seawater SO4 and Cl. The δ 34 S isotopic composition confirms that the sulphur addition is of volcanic aerosol origin. The chemical evolution of the snow with depth reflects changes in the lava effusion and gas emission rates. Those rates were the highest at the early stage of the eruption. Snow that fell during that time, represented by samples from the deepest part of the snow cores, had the lowest pH and highest concentrations of SO4, F, Cl and metals, compared with snow that fell later in the winter. Also the Al concentration, did exceed World Health Organisation drinking water standard of 3.7 µmol/kg in the lower part of the snow core closest to the eruption site. Collected snow represents the precipitation that fell during the eruption period. Nevertheless, only minor environmental impacts are evident in the snow due to its interaction with the volcanic aerosol gases. This minor environmental impact evidenced by the microbial communities identified in the snow that fell during the eruption. These communities were similar to those found in snow from other parts of the Arctic, confirming an insignificant impact of this eruption the snow microecology.

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Chemistry of snow cover and acidic snowfall during a season with a high level of air pollution on the Hans Glacier, Spitsbergen

Cited by 43 publications

References 37 publications

Spatial Differences in the Chemical Composition of Surface Water in the Hornsund Fjord Area: A Statistical Analysis with A Focus on Local Pollution Sources

Spatial Differences in the Chemical Composition of Surface Water in the Hornsund Fjord Area: A Statistical Analysis with A Focus on Local Pollution Sources

Temporal Variations in Chemical Composition of Snow Cover in Moscow

Pollution from the 2014–15 Bárðarbunga eruption monitored by snow cores from the Vatnajökull glacier, Iceland

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