PRECIPITATION CHEMISTRY IN JAPAN 1989-1993

Precipitation chemistry in Japan was discussed on a wet-only sample da tabase obtained in a nationwide survey from April 1989 to March 1993. Wet-only samples were collected at 29 stations over Japan on a biweekl y basis. Commonly determined chemical parameters were measured in labo ratories. The volume-weighted annual mean pH at each site ranged from 4.50 to 5.83 with a mean of 4.76. Concentration ranges and means (pare nthesized) on an equivalent basis for major ions were as follows: nss- SO42-; 5.2-58.9 (38.6), NO3-; 1.8-25.0 (14.1), NH4+; 0.55-29.8 (18.3), nss-Ca2+; 2.0-34.5 (14.2), Na+; 6.4-275.3 (49.1), Cl-; 13.7-322.4 (63 .5) mu eq L(-1). Acid-base relationships for Phase-II records were qua ntitatively discussed in terms of three measures: pH, fractional acidi ty, and our proposed pA(i).