COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF RAINWATER - EXPERIMENTAL PROBLEMS AND THE INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

Eight open and eight wet-only rain samplers, placed together on an open field near Den Helder, The Netherlands, were sampled three times a week. Greatest care in sampling and analysis procedures was taken to avoid contamination. The samples were analysed for H +, NH4 +, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Mn, Al, V. SO|“, NO- 3, Cl- Br- and F- by wet chemical techniques. AAS and instrumental neutron activation analysis. For many species the difference between the results of open and wet-only samplers was negligible. The correlation between some cations and anions was computed and indications were found for the presence of HNO3 and (NH4)2SO4 in the atmosphere, whereas little H2SO4 or NH4NO3 seems to be present. It is possible to detect whether various pollutants are of continental or marine origin. © 1979, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.