Rt. Karaban et Ml. Gytarsky, STUDIES OF PRECIPITATION CONTAMINATION LEVELS OVER THE NORTH-WESTERN FORESTS OF RUSSIA SUBJECT TO EMISSIONS FROM THE 2 NICKEL SMELTERS, Water, air and soil pollution, 85(4), 1995, pp. 2071-2076
The results of investigations carried out in the forests of Kola penin
sula subject to long-term air pollution by the nickel industrial enter
prises are presented. Samples of rainwater from the open sites, from u
nder the coniferous (pine) trees crowns and of the stemflow were colle
cted at various distances from the emission sources. The highest level
s in pollution of rainwater are detected over the area adjacent to the
smelters. Researches of contamination of the precipitation in the vic
inity of the two nickel enterprises of Kola peninsula show that concen
trations of pollutants vary significantly (up to an order of magnitude
) depending upon the meteorological conditions. The area of impact on
forests of Kola peninsula is restricted by the radius of 30-40 km from
the emission sources.