Acid rain: ionic correlations in the eastern United States, 1980-81

Eville Gorham, Frank B. Martin, Jake T. Litzau

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86 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hydrogen ions in precipitation are correlated much more closely with sulfate than with nitrate, whereas ammonium ions are correlated more closely with nitrate than with sulfate. Target loadings of 14 to 16 kilograms of wet sulfate deposition per hectare per year, instead of 20 as suggested hitherto, are probably necessary to produce average pH values of 4.6 to 4.7, the approximate boundary levels for damage to aquatic ecosystems. Cluster analysis reveals that there are three linked groups of ions related to air pollution, agriculture, and sea spray.
Original languageUndefined/Unknown
Pages (from-to)407-409
Number of pages3
JournalScience
Volume225
Issue number4660
StatePublished - 1984

Keywords

  • Acidity of atmospheric precipitation and contributing environmental factors

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