Snow composition in eight catchments in the central Barents Euro-Arctic region

Snowpack samples representing atmospheric deposition during winter 1993-1994 were taken in eight catchments at different distances to the industry on the Kola Peninsula, NW Russia, and in contiguous areas of Norway and Finland. Snow was collected at 7-13 stations per catchment and delivered frozen to the laboratory. There, the samples were melted and filtered(< 0.45 mu m) on-line. Meltwater (MW) and filter residue (FR) fractions were analysed separately using ICP-MS and ICP-AES techniques. The ratios of FR to FR + MW concentrations show very characteristic patterns for the different industrial sources in the area. Nickel smelting at Monchegorsk results for example in predominantly water soluble deposition of Cu and S, while close to the ore roasting plant at Zapoljarniy these elements are mainly deposited in particulate form. For many elements more than 60% of the total deposition is particular in all catchments. The FR/(FR + MW) ratio of snow appears to be a useful tool to fingerprint pollution sources. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.