ACID DEPOSITION IN HONG-KONG

A multi-year data set on rainwater composition obtained by the Royal O bservatory, Hong Kong, as a contribution to the Global Atmosphere Watc h of the World Meteorological Organization, has been reviewed in terms of data quality and evaluated for evidence of acidification due to an thropogenic emissions of acid precursors. Elevated levels of acidic su lphate and nitrate are evident in the data, which, when combined with a preliminary estimation of dry deposition fluxes of acidic gases, sug gest a total acid deposition flux of approximately 160 meg m(-2) yr(-1 ). This value is sufficiently high so as to suggest the need for integ rated assessment of acidic deposition and potential environmental cons equences in the region.