Response of sulfate concentration and isotope composition in Icelandic rivers to the decline in global atmospheric SO{sub 2} emissions into the North Atlantic region

This study presents the changes in dissolved sulfate concentration and isotope composition of Icelandic river waters between the peak of SO{sub 2} emissions in the United States and Europe and the present. Chloride concentration in Icelandic rivers has not changed much since 1972. The overall averag...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEnvironmental science & technology Vol. 40; no. 3
Main Authors Sigurdur Reynir Gislason, Peter Torssander
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.02.2006
Subjects
ANNUAL VARIATIONS
ARCTIC REGIONS
CHLORIDES
CONCENTRATION RATIO
EMISSION
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
EUROPE
GLACIERS
ICELAND
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION SOURCES
RIVERS
SAMPLING
SULFATES
SULFUR 34
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WATER CHEMISTRY
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Summary:This study presents the changes in dissolved sulfate concentration and isotope composition of Icelandic river waters between the peak of SO{sub 2} emissions in the United States and Europe and the present. Chloride concentration in Icelandic rivers has not changed much since 1972. The overall average change from 1972-1973 to 1996-2004 was -3%, indicating insignificant sea-salt contribution changes. More than 99% of the river-dissolved sulfur was in the form of sulfate. There are three main sources for dissolved sulfate in the rivers: rocks, sea-salts, and anthropogenic. Total dissolved sulfate, {sub td}SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}, and non-sea-salt sulfate, {sub nss}SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}, decreased in all of the rivers from the early 1970s to 1996-2004. The percentage decrease varies from 13% to 65%. The decrease is smallest in rivers were there is considerable rock-derived dissolved SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}. The overall average decrease was 39% for {sub td}SO{sub 4}{sup 2-} and 46% for {sub nss}SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}. The anthropogenic sulfate fraction has declined making most of the river waters {delta}{sup 34}S values of sulfate higher through time. The overall decline in river sulfate and increase in {delta}{sup 34}S, while SO{sub 2} emissions from Iceland has been increasing, demonstrates the response of river chemistry in the remote North Atlantic to the decline in man-made emissions of SO{sub 2} in North America and Europe. 43 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es051325o