RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION OF TRACE-ELEMENTS, MAJOR IONS, AND MERCURY IN FLORIDA - THE FAMS PROJECT (1992-1993)

A multiple chemical tracer approach was used in an effort to account for the atmospheric Hg deposition measured throughout Florida as part of the Florida Atmospheric Mercury (FAMS) Study. Samples of bulk deposition and wet-only deposition were analyzed for a suite of major ions and trace elements in addition to Hg. Significant correlations were found between three groups of elements: Al, Mn, and Fe; Ni, Cu, Zn, and Cd; and As, V, and Pb. However, H,g did not correlate strongly with any of the other chemical tracers. Annual bulk deposition fluxes are attributed to sea-salt aerosols (Na, Cl), the delivery of Saharan dust (Al and Fe), the supply of anthropogenic pollutant aerosols (V, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb), acidic aerosols (nitrate and nss-sulfate), and an unidentified source for Hg.