ATMOSPHERIC TRACE-ELEMENT DEPOSITION - PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS OF ICP-MS DATA FROM MOSS SAMPLES

Data from a Norwegian survey on atmospheric deposition, including 33 e lements in 495 moss samples collected in 1990, are presented. The biom onitor moss used was Hylocomium splendens, and the analyses were carri ed out by ICP-MS. Principal component analysis is used to identify pos sible sources of the elements determined in the mosses. Dominant facto rs represent long-range atmospheric transported elements (Bi, Pb, Sb, Mo, Cd, V, As, Zn, Tl, Hg, Ga), windblown mineral particles ( Y, La, A l, Li, U, Th, Ga, Fe, V, Cr), local emission sources (Ni, Cu, Co, and As; Zn, Cd, and Hg; Fe, Cr, and Al), transport from the marine environ ment (Mg, B, Na, Sr, Ca), and contribution from higher plants (Cs, Rb, Ba, Mn). Comparison of the results with similar surveys from 1977 and 1985 show a decreasing contribution of most long-range transported el ements to southern Norway.