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A description of low‐ and high‐acid precipitation
Author(s) -
Verry Elon S.,
Harris A. Ray
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr024i004p00481
Subject(s) - precipitation , salt (chemistry) , nitrate , ion , chemistry , hydrogen , acid rain , hydrogen ion , analytical chemistry (journal) , environmental chemistry , physics , meteorology , organic chemistry
A model was developed to group precipitation samples from any location into four strata that represent collections of similar chemistry. Logic and cation frequency were used to first define low‐ and high‐salt samples, and then regression analysis was used to define low‐ and high‐H samples. Low‐H concentrations ranged between 0 and 13 μeq/L. Hydrogen regressed on the sum of NO 3 + SO 4 showed two consistent equations: one for normal H concentrations and one for emission‐related, high‐H concentrations. Delta analysis (the change in concentration between group means) and analysis of regression residuals between ion pairs and a third common ion revealed strong correlations for H: NO 3 , H: SO 3 , NH 4 :SO 4 , and Na: Cl in low‐salt, highly acid precipitation samples. Hydrogen, SO 4 , NO 3 , and NH 4 compose 95% of acid precipitation chemistry in the United States. Significant correlations for NH 4 : NO 3 and all other ion pairs did not exist in samples from highly acid, low‐salt collections. Nitrate and SO 4 carried H at average portions of 36 and 64%, respectively, regardless of H concentration. Variation in these portions of ±15% was site specific and not a function of H concentration.