The Scottish Environment Statistics - 1998

4. ATMOSPHERE

Table 4.20 Annual mean concentrations of ions in precipitation at rural sites in Scotland, 1995 Rainfall Sulphate Non-sea Nitrate Chloride Acidity Ammonium Sodium Calcium Magnesium salt sulphate1 mm bequerels (meq1-1) Loch Dee 2,036 46 24 16 121 13 19 106 14 31 Eskdalemuir 1,202 38 28 19 101 16 26 88 13 26 Whitadder 473 55 43 31 115 32 28 100 19 26 Balquhidder 1,637 30 21 14 83 18 12 71 9 22 Pollach 1,788 33 14 10 191 12 7 168 13 46 Glen Dye 724 53 41 36 115 41 29 98 10 25 River Mharcaidh 678 21 14 11 66 16 5 57 7 16 Strath Vaich Dam 1,282 22 10 9 116 10 5 102 11 31 Achannaras 622 40 19 18 195 16 15 169 17 45 Source: AEA Technology NETCEN 1 Rainwater contains ions derived from sea spray. By assuming the ratio of sodium to sulphate in sea spray is the same as that in sea water and that all sodium in rain water is of marine origin, the measured rain water sulphate can be corrected for sulphate of marine origin.