Changes of some components of precipitation in East Germany after the unification

A network of 15 sites of precipitation monitoring was built-up to characterize the spatial and temporal changes of pollutants over East Germany. Rain water samples were analysed and characterized regarding their acidity, conductivity, main water soluble components (Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+), volume and the meteorological parameters. Dependent on the changes of emission of pollutants, resulting from the reformation of industry, the decrease of stock farming, and increase of traffic (by the factor of approximate to 1.5) in East Germany, a drop could be observed with the sulphate and calcium concentrations in the precipitation by 20 to 50 and 30 to 70%, respectively. An increase could not be ascertained with the nitrate concentration and the acidity.