Biomass burning in eastern Europe during spring 2006 caused high deposition of ammonium in northern Fennoscandia

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 176; pp. 71 - 79
• Main Authors: Karlsson, Per Erik, Ferm, Martin, Tømmervik, Hans, Hole, Lars R., Pihl Karlsson, Gunilla, Ruoho-Airola, Tuija, Aas, Wenche, Hellsten, Sofie, Akselsson, Cecilia, Mikkelsen, Teis Nørgaard, Nihlgård, Bengt
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-05-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: air; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollution - statistics & numerical data; altitude; ammonia; Ammonium deposition; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Biologi; Biological Sciences; Biomass; Biomass burning; burning; dry deposition; Earth and Related Environmental Sciences; Eastern Europe; Ecology; Ekologi; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap; Incineration - statistics & numerical data; latitude; latitudes; Natural Sciences; Naturgeografi; Naturvetenskap; nitrogen; Northern; Northern latitudes; ozone; Physical Geography; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds - analysis; Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; spring; summer; throughfall; tree damage; vegetation; Vegetation damage; Sweden; Norway; Scandinavia; Finland; Eastern Europe; Europe; Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; Ammonium deposition; Northern latitudes; Eastern Europe; Biomass burning; Vegetation damage; High latitude; Ammonium; Atmospheric fallout; Nitrogen compounds; Combustion; Biomass; Dry deposition; Transport process; Environment impact; Long range pollutant transport; Vegetation; Air pollution
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2012.12.006

High air concentrations of ammonium were detected at low and high altitude sites in Sweden, Finland and Norway during the spring 2006, coinciding with polluted air from biomass burning in eastern Europe passing over central and northern Fennoscandia. Unusually high values for throughfall deposition of ammonium were detected at one low altitude site and several high altitude sites in north Sweden. The occurrence of the high ammonium in throughfall differed between the summer months 2006, most likely related to the timing of precipitation events. The ammonia dry deposition may have contributed to unusual visible injuries on the tree vegetation in northern Fennoscandia that occurred during 2006, in combination with high ozone concentrations. It is concluded that long-range transport of ammonium from large-scale biomass burning may contribute substantially to the nitrogen load at northern latitudes.
► Episodic high air concentrations of ammonium were described in central and northern Fennoscandia. ► One major episode was associated with large-scale biomass burning in eastern Europe. ► High ammonium dry deposition to forests was associated with the episode.
Polluted air from biomass burning in eastern Europe caused episodic high ammonium dry deposition in northern Fennoscandia.