TRACE-ELEMENTS IN SNOW SAMPLES FROM THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS - SOURCES AND DISSOLVED PARTICULATE DISTRIBUTIONS

Fresh snow samples were collected throughout a season at a high altitude (1080 m) site in the NE Scottish Highlands and analysed for 14 trace elements in addition to the major element composition. Enrichment factors suggest three significant sources of the different elements, i.e. crust, seawater and anthropogenic inputs. Elements associated with anthropogenic and marine sources are in general soluble upon thawing (e.g. Br 98% dissolved) while elements from crustal sources are insoluble (e.g. Al 18% dissolved). Elements with mixed sources tend to show intermediate behaviour with average solubilities ranging from 27 to 96% for different elements. These solubilities are rationalized in terms of sources of the elements, their chemistry and the overall rainwater chemistry.