WET DEPOSITION OF MAJOR IONS AND TRACE-ELEMENTS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

Elemental and ionic composition of the eastern Mediterranean precipita tion was determined on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey between Janua ry 1992 and January 1994. Measured concentrations were comparable with the concentrations reported from other rural stations. Concentrations of elements and ions show strong short-term and well-defined long-ter m variations. Short-term variations are due to transport from differen t source areas whereas longterm (seasonal) variations are governed by the seasonal changes in the wet removal of particles during their tran sport from source areas to the eastern Mediterranean region. The most important characteristic of the precipitation in the eastern Mediterra nean region is the extensive neutralization of acidity by the airborne CaCO3 particles from soil. Wet deposition fluxes of elements and ions are smaller than the fluxes reported from other rural stations owing to small annual rainfall in the region. Except for soil-related elemen ts, wet deposition fluxes of all elements are significantly higher in the winter season. Annual wet deposition fluxes are highly episodic, w ith only 10-20 of the samples accounting more than 50% of annual fluxe s for most of the measured elements and ions.