Deposition of sulfate and heavy metals on the Kola Peninsula

Snowpack samples were collected at 20 sites on the Kola Peninsula, Russia, in April 1991. Samples were collected both in remote regions and in areas impacted by nearby emission sources, including the Severonikel Cusingle bondNi smelter in the city of Monchegorsk. In the background regions, total winter deposition for non-seasalt SO42−, NO3−, Cu, and Ni were 120–300, 70–300, 6–14, and 0.3-1.5 mg/m2, respectively, and the snowpack pH ranged from 4.4 to 4.9. In the region near the Severonikel Cusingle bondNi smelter, snowpack SO42−, Cu, and Ni concentrations were enhanced considerably. Total winter deposition in this area was in the range of 390–500, 190–280, and 14–32 mg/m2 for non-seasalt SO42−, Cu, and Ni, respectively, with little influence on snowpack pH. In the vicinity of the Severonikel complex, the data indicate relatively inefficient removal of sulfur dioxide by snow and more efficient removal of particles containing metal. The 6-month sulfate deposition within 20 km of the smelter accounts for much less than 1% of the smelter SO2 emissions over the same period. In contrast, approximately 24% of the smelter copper emissions are deposited within 20 km of the source, which suggests an important role for sedimentation of relatively large particles containing metal in the vicinity of the smelter. Pb, As, and Cd deposition to the snowpack is much less, suggesting that emissions of these more toxic elements are largely absent or occur in smaller particles (Kelley et al., this volume).