RAINWATER COMPOSITION IN 8 ARCTIC CATCHMENTS IN NORTHERN EUROPE (FINLAND, NORWAY AND RUSSIA)

Monthly rainwater samples were collected during the summer of 1994 in eight arctic catchments in northern Europe (four in Russia, three in F inland, one in Norway), at different distances and wind directions fro m the emissions of the Russian nickel ore mining, roasting and smeltin g industry on the Kola Peninsula. Three stations consisting of five sa mplers each were placed in open areas in all the catchments. Results s how that close to the smelters in Monchegorsk, rainwater is strongly e nriched in Ni (633 x), Co, Cu, As, Mo, Al (36 x), V, Cd, Sb, Pb (11 x) , Zn, Fe, Sr, Na, S/SO4 (6 x), Cl, Cr, Se (4 x) and Ag when compared t o a Finnish background catchment. Three sources of elements can be dif ferentiated: natural dust, sea spray and anthropogenic (smokestack emi ssions and dust). Correlation diagrams and element ratios can be used to identify the different industrial processes and even ore feed chang es at one smelter. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd