A 3 year study of the aerosol in northwest Saxony (Germany)

Over three years (1993–1995) daily PM-10 aerosol samples were collected at two locations in Saxony, at the rural measurement station Melpitz and at the north-eastern border of Leipzig. By using ion chromatography the water soluble ions Na+, NH+4, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl-, NO-3and SO2-4 were analysed daily. Soot was detected by reflectance measurement and gravimetric analysis. Major trends during this period were observed for soot, nitrate, sulphate and calcium. Some components had typical seasonal distributions, e.g. soot, nitrate and sulphate. The rural station Melpitz was influenced more strongly by the power plants at both sides of the Polish border than the urban area of Leipzig-Halle. During inversion periods, maxima of all aerosol components were measured. However, the highest concentrations during inversion periods decreased during the last years at both locations.