Resuspension of trace metals in Belgrade under conditions of drastically reduced emission levels

Abstract

Deposition rates of trace metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd) were determined at the Meteorological Station in New Belgrade (H _s =74 m; φ=44°49′N and λ=20°24′E) in the hydrological year 1992/93 (1 November-31 October). The dominant characteristics of the observation period were strong drought and drastically reduced pollutant emissions. Traffic and local sources operated at 0–10% of their capacities. Samples of dry and wet precipitation were taken by an automatic collector at a height of 2 m at weekly intervals. Two petri polycarbonate dishes of 93.5 mm diameter, facing upward, and one, facing downward, were used for dry precipitation sampling. Determination in a ‘clean room’ by differential pulse stripping voltammetry provided the low detection thresholds of 0.1, 1.0, 0.5 and 2.0 ng mL^-1,i.e. the measurement of minimal dry deposition rates of 0.02, 0.2, 0.1 and 0.4 μg m^-2d^-1 for Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn, respectively. The mean annual deposition rates, expressed in μg m^-2d^-1, were found to be as follows: 4.5 (down), 26 (up) and 37 (wet) for Pb, 2.1 (down), 13 (up) and 36 (wet) for Cu, and 3.1 (down), 26 (up) and 95 (wet) for Zn. No values above 0.2 μg m^-2d^-1 were found for the Cd dry deposition rate and no Cd concentration higher than 1 ng mL^-1 for precipitation with an amount >0.5 mm at the weekly interval was detected. Using the XREDS method with a scanning electron microscope, Si, Al, Fe matrix elements and Mg, Ca, S, K, P, Cu, Zn. W were identified as minor constituents of the single spherical particles and of the agglomerates present. Pb could not be categorized as a minor constituent of the coarse particles suspended in the air of New Belgrade on the basis of the previous analysis.

Analysis of meteorological data showed road dust transport by outgoing SE-ESE wind from the old city of Belgrade (H _s =100–250 m) as a possible Pb source at the chosen site, which was located in a park. A comparative measurement of Pb deposition on linden leaves was carried out in the vegetation period (1 April–31 October) of 1993 and 1994. The Pb distribution on leaves differed in the two growing seasons, while the sum of Pb deposition rates on the downward and upward oriented petri dishes remained practically equal. The Pb accumulation on linden leaves was higher in 1994, first because of an intensive soil supply by rain water. Besides, ‘yellow’ rain was reported during the night 15/16 April, on 16 and 17 April 1994. A Fe concentration of 2.3 μg mL^-1 and a Pb concentration of 312 ng mL^-1 with a total precipitation of 12.6 mm were found in the weekly wet sample of 13–20 April. Dry deposition rates of 17 and 84 μg m^-2d^-1 for Cd and Pb, respectively, were measured on the upward facing dishes two weeks later (27 April–4 May). The synoptic analysis confirmed the development of the Saharan cyclogenesis and its influence on the Balkan peninsula in the period of 14 to 17 April 1994. In this region the impact of dustfall originating from the Saharan storm was evident either during wet deposition or through resuspension processes.