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Chemical Composition of Major Ions in Rainwater

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Title Chemical Composition of Major Ions in Rainwater
 
Creator Salve, P R
Maurya, A
Wate, S R
Devotta, S
 
Subject Air Quality
Air Pollution
Water Quality
 
Description The present study investigated the chemical
composition of rainwater at Kabir nagar, Nari, Nagpur,
Maharashtra, India. The rainwater samples were collected
on event basis during June–July–August-2006 and were
analyzed for pH, major anions Cl, NO3, SO4) and cations
(Ca, Mg, Na, K, NH4). The pH value varied from 6.0 to 7.3
(avg. 6.3 ± 0.3) indicating alkaline nature of rainwater.
The pH of the rainwater was found well above the reference
pH (5.6), showing alkalinity during the monsoon
season. The average and standard deviation of ionic composition
was found to be 98.1 ± 10.6 leql-1. The total
anions contribute 45.1% and cations 54.9%, respectively to
rainwater. Neutralization factors (NF) followed a sequence
of NFCa[NFMg[NFNH4 with factors of 1.1, 0.38 and
0.15 indicating the crustal components are responsible for
neutralization of anions. The average ratio of (NO3 + Cl)/
SO4 observed as 1.1 indicates that nitric and hydrochloric
acid influences the acidity of rainwater. The ratio of NH4/
NO3 and NH4/SO4 was observed as 0.68 and 0.34 indicate
that the possible compounds which may predominate in the
atmosphere are NH4NO3 and (NH4)2SO4. Ionic correlation
was established to identify sources of origin. A good correlation
was seen between Ca and Mg (r = 0.95);
suggesting the common occurrence of these ions from
crustal origin. Similarly, the acidic ions SO4 and NO3
correlated well (r = 0.60) indicating their origin from
similar sources. Other relatively significant correlations
were observed between Ca and SO4 (r = 0.92), Mg and
SO4 (r = 0.83), Ca and NO3 (r = 0.09), Ca and Cl
(r = 0.34) and Mg and Cl (r = 0.31), and Mg and NO3
(r = 0.71). The observed rainwater ratio of Cl/Na (1.1) is
closer to that of seawater ratio (1.16) indicates fractionation
of sea-salt and modifications by non-marine
constituents as the site is 834 km away from the sea coast.
The nss-Ca contribution was observed as 95.7% suggesting
their crustal origin whereas nss-Mg and nss-K shows their
contribution as 87.9% and 83.2% indicating influence of
soil sources. The nss-SO4 contributed as 87.4% shows
anthropogenic origin.
 
Publisher Springer
 
Date 2008-03
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://neeri.csircentral.net/463/1/Salve_rainwater_2008.pdf
Salve, P R and Maurya, A and Wate, S R and Devotta, S (2008) Chemical Composition of Major Ions in Rainwater. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 80 (3). pp. 242-246. ISSN 0007-4861
 
Relation http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00128-007-9353-x
http://neeri.csircentral.net/463/