Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Arsenic in the Environment

Edited by T. C. Hutchinson and K. M. Meema

@ ]987 SCOPE. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

CHAPTER 9

Impact of Long-range Atmospheric

Transport of Heavy Metals to the
Terrestrial Environment in Norway
ElLlV STEINNES

Departmenl of Chemistry, University of Trondheim,

7055 Dragvoll, Norway

ABSTRACT

The deposition of Pb, Cd, Zn, As, Sb and Se in southernmost Norway is shown on
the basis of moss analysis to be about tenfold higher than in inland areas of Central
and Northern Norway. Air-filter analyses show most of the supply to occur during
short episodes from air masses transported from more heavily industrialized parts
of Europe.
Investigations of surface soils demonstrate a very similar regional pattern of dis-
tribution for the above elements in surface soils. Soil profile studies exhibit large
enrichments of Pb, Cd and As in the surface layer of soils in southernmost Norway.
The greatest heavy metal concentrations in soils are found in largely uninhabHed
areas with very high annual precipitation levels. Long-distance atmospheric trans-
port appears to have a profound influence on the supply of heavy metals to natural
soils in Southern Norway. Further evidence of this is obtained from profile studies
of ombrotrophic bogs from all over Norway.
A comparison of coniferous forest ecosystems in South Norway and Central Nor-
way with respect to heavy-metal contents of common species of higher plants shows
a similar trend as for soils. Plants from localities in southernmost Norway show sub-
stantially higher lead and cadmium contents than those from similar localities in
Central Norway, the difference in many cases amounting to a factor of 5 or more.
Copper and zinc do not exhibit a similar trend.

INTRODUCTION

The long-range atmospheric transport of pollution aerosols is well docu-

mented at present. Southern Scandinavia belongs to the areas that are ap-
preciably affected by air pollutants derived from distant source regions. In
107
108 Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Arsenic in the Environment

Norway most studies in this area have been confined to acidic components
(e.g. Overrein et aI., 1981). Far less attention has been paid to other pollu-
tants such as heavy metals in this respect.
Since the late 1970s, a substantial amount of work has been carried out
in Norway in order to study the atmospheric supply of trace elements from
other areas, the regional deposition patterns of these elements, and their
significance with respect to contamination of terrestrial environments. The
latter is mainly from investigations of soils and vegetation. In the present
chapter this work is briefly reviewed.

LONG-RANGE TRANSPORT OF HEAVY METALS TO NORWAY

The first regular sampling of precipitation for trace element analyses started
in 1978 at four different stations in Norway (Hanssen et aI., 1980), the
locations of which are shown in Figure 9.1. Three of those stations (Birkenes,
Karvatn, Jergul) have been continuously in operation since then, and the
elements Pb, Zn and Cd have been monitored on a regular basis. Recently
As, Sb, and Se have been included in this programme. Wet deposition data
for Pb and Cd during the period 1978-82 are listed in Table 9.1 (Hanssen
et ai., 1980; State Pollution Control Agency, 1983).
Table 9.1 Deposition of lead and cadmium in Norway from pre-
cipitation data (mg/m2/y)

Element Location 1978/79 1980 1981 1982

Pb Birkenes 11.4 8.4 9.1 12.9
Narbuvo11 1.9 1.6 1.3 1.1
Karvatn 2.0 1.8 1.4 1.7
Jergul 1.2 0.6 0.7 1.1

Cd Birkenes 0.28 0.36 0.29 1.04*

Narbuvo11 0.08 0.09 0.07 0.04
Karvatn 0.05 0.06 0.05 0.08
Jergul 0.07 0.02 0.02 0.05

* Contamination problems suspected.

At three of the stations (Birkenes, Hummelfjell, Jergul), 24 hour or 48

hour air particulate samples were collected during 1978-79. These samples
were analysed for 23 elements by a combination of instrumental neutron ac-
tivation analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry (Steinnes, 1980). Sam-
ples for S02 analysis were collected simultaneously. Certain of these ele-
ments showed a very typical episodic occurrence. This group was comprised
of Y, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, As, Se, Br, Cd, Sb, Pb and also S02 and 'excess S04"
The episodic character is particularly pronounced at the southernly Birkenes
site, where highly significant correlations occurred between the above
Impact of the Long-Range Atmospheric Transport of Heavy Metals 109

r"~'" -
;/
* t I
~I

~ r, ~JERGUL

0
. - f ,-
0
ij;
.J\~ \Ir
~

\
,
I
c-'(
I
)' "_J'-' 48-72 h high-volume air filters
weekly precipitatian samples
gaseaus mercury

I
I
)
(-'
\
I
I
,
,I\
,__I KARVATN

~~
'*' \
Weekly precipitation samples
*\--
I
NARBUVOLLEN/HUMMELFJELL
24-h high-valume air filters
" \ weekly precipitation samples
)
(
\
I
I
..-
I
\
J
BIRKENES
24-h high-valume oir filters
weekly precipitation samples
gaseous mercury

Figure 9.1 Sampling stations for air particulates and precipitation in Norway

components. Trajectory analysis showed all major episodes of this kind dur-
ing the period concerned to be associated with air masses derived from heav-
ily populated and industrial regions in other parts of Europe (Hanssen et
aL., 1981). A sector analysis of the air concentration data at Birkenes based
on air trajectories (Pacyna et aL., 1984) indicates that at least 80% of the
supply of these elements to this region is due to emissions in areas outside
of Norway.

TRACE ELEMENT DEPOSITION PATTERNS

Relative deposition patterns for a number of trace elements in Norway were

established by means of moss analysis in a similar way to that originally
110 Lead, Mercury. Cadmium and Arsenic in the Environment

Sb
0.6 ppm

Figure 9.2 Relative deposition figures for antimony expressed as ppm Sb in moss
samples
Impact of the Long-RangeAtmospheric Transport of Heavy Metals 111

suggestedby Riihling and Tyler (1971). Samples of the forest feather moss
Hylocomium splendens which grows on the ground, were collected from
about 500 sites all over Norway in 1977 (Rambaek and Steinnes, 1980). The
samples were analysed in a manner similar to that indicated above for air fil-
ters. Elements known from the air filter studies to be mainly associated with
long-range transport, tend to show very distinct regional differences in their
deposition pattern. The map shown for Sb in Figure 9.2, exhibiting tenfold
higher deposition in the far south than in many areas in the north, is quite
typical for the group of elements also comprising Pb, As, V, Zn, Cd, Ag,
Mo and Se. The areas exhibiting the highest metal deposition coincide with
those previously shown to receive the maximal input of acid precipitation.
Other heavy metals such as Cr, Cu and Ni show deposition patterns mainly
dominated by local sources.
A second national moss survey is planned in 1985, concurrently with sim-
ilar surveys in Sweden and Denmark.

HEAVy METALS IN SOILS

During the sampling for the 1977 national moss survey, natural surface soils
were collected at the same 500 sites as for the moss samples. The samples
were taken from the middle of the humus layer if the thickness was less
than 10 cm, and at about 5 cm depth in cases of thicker humus layers. The
majority of the soils were from podzol profiles. Further details on sampling
and pre-analysis treatment are given elsewhere (Allen and Steinnes, 1980).
The samples were analysed for a number of trace elements mainly by
atomic absorption and ICP emission spectrometry after digestion for 20
hours with hot concentrated nitric acid. The regional distribution of Pb in
surface soils is shown in Figure 9.3, exhibiting a very distinct north-south
gradient with values about ten times higher in the south and southwest
than in the far north. Similar trends were observed for Cd, As, Sb and to
a lesser extent for Zn and Cu (Allen and Steinnes, 1980). For other heavy
metals such as Cr, Co, and Ni this kind of regional distribution was not
evident (Bl'Slviken,B. and Steinnes, E., unpublished). For the former group
of elements, which is known to be associated with long-range transport, the
regional distribution in the surface soils is rather similar to the regional de-
position patterns shown by the moss survey. For these elements long-range
atmospheric transport has apparently had a major impact on the concen-
trations in natural surface soils in the southern and south-western parts of
Norway.
This conclusion is supported by data obtained from studies of metals
in soil profiles from South Norway and Central Norway (Petersen and
Steinnes,1983;Solbergand Steinnes,1983).A typicalexampleis pre-
sented in Figure 9.4, showing the vertical distribution of Pb and Cu in two
112 Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Arsenic in the Environment

Figure 9.3 Geographical distribution of lead in natural surface soils in Norway

(ppm)
Impact of the Long-Range Atmospheric Transport of Heavy Metals 113

brown earth profiles. Lead is strongly enriched in the surface in South Nor-
way, whereas in Central Norway where the airborne supply is Jow, there is
no such trend. For copper, the deposition of which is not very different in
the two regions, there is no difference in surface enrichment corresponding
to that apparent for Pb.

South Norway Central Norway

/""'J '"
50
ppm
40

30 Cu

20
Cu
10
Pb

10 20 30 40 10 20 30 40

Depth (em)

Figure 9.4 Examples of vertical distribution of copper and lead in brown earth
profiles from South Norway and Central Norway, respectively (ppm)

The elements selenium and mercury require special comments as far as

their regional distribution in surface soils is concerned. The Se content is
considerably higher in soils from coastal areas than in corresponding soils
inland even in Central and Northern Norway where the contribution from
air pollution is presumably low (Allen and Steinnes, 1980). Selenium data
from the moss survey show a similar coastal enrichment all along the coast.
This supports the hypothesis put forward in earlier work (Lag and Steinnes,
1974, 1978a) that there is a natural source of atmospheric Se, possibly asso-
ciated with the decomposition of Se-enriched marine organisms at the sea
surface, which provides a relative excess of Se to soils in the coastal areas. In
the caseof Hg, work basedon materialcollectedduring the period 1960-64
(Lag and Steinnes, 1978b) shows that there is no appreciable difference in
114 Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Arsenic in the Environment

soil concentration between the south-eastern and the central parts of the
country, thus indicating that natural sources may be more important than
anthropogenic ones in supplying Hg to surface soils in Norway.
In the southernmost areas of Norway where the impact of long-range
transport of air pollutants is most pronounced, a more detailed regional
survey of the metals Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu in natural surface soils has recently
been carried out (Solberg, W. and Steinnes, E., unpublished). The maximum

148

76

Figure 9.5 Lead concentrations in surface peat from ombrotrophic bogs (ppm)
 -- ------

Impact of the Long-Range Atmospheric Transport of Heavy MetaLs 115

level of these elements in the soil appears to occur in areas situated about
25-30 km from the coast. These areas have very few local activities that
could create any air pollution, but they coincide quite well with the zone
of maximum precipitation due to orographic effects. In these local areas Pb
levels of 180-200 ppm and Cd levels of 2-3 ppm are typically observed in
the humus layer of podzolic soils.

HEA Vy METALS IN OMBROTROPHIC BOGS

In an investigation of peat profiles from 21 ombrotrophic bogs in different

parts of the country, 11 metals were determined using methodology simi-
lar to that indicated for soils (Hvatum et ai. 1983). The concentration of
the relatively volatile elements Pb, Cd, As and Sb appeared to be about ten
times higher in surface peat from the southernmost part of Norway as com-
pared with areas in the far north. The data for Pb in surface peat shown in
Figure 9.5 are quite similar to the levels observed in surface soils shown in
Figure 9.3. Similar but less pronounced differences are shown for Zn, while
the concentrations of Cr, Cu, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni do not show any large
differences between northern and southern bogs.
In bogs in the far south, the surface levels of Pb, As and Sb are about
20 times higher than those observed at a 50 cm depth, indicating a very
substantial increase in the atmospheric supply of these elements in recent
times. In Central and Northern Norway where surface levels are 5-10 times
lower, there is a less distinct but still significant enrichment in the surface,
indicating an impact of air pollution even in these areas.
The data for Se at the surface and at a depth at 50 cm confirm the hy-
pothesis of a natural source of atmospheric Se which also contributed in
pre-industrial times; in the coastal districts of Central and Northern Nor-
way, relatively high and constant Se values are apparent at different depths.
In continental areas of South-Eastern Norway there is an increase by a fac-
tor of 10 from 50 cm depth to the surface, illustrating recent input from
long-range atmospheric transport.

HIGHER PLANTS AND ANIMALS

The pattern of distribution of the content of heavy metals in vascular plants

in coniferous forest ecosystems is similar to that of the atmospheric depo-
sition of these metals, as illustrated in Figure 9.6 (Solberg and Steinnes,
1983), which is a comparison of metal levels in twigs of some dominant
species in Southern and Central Norway. Each bar represents the average
of unwashed, randomly collected samples taken at three times during the
growing season at four different locations. As is evident from Figure 9.6,
Cu shows no significant regional difference in any of the species included.
116 Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Arsenic in the Environment

Zn is significantly higher than Cu. and Pb and Cd are about 5 times higher
in Southern Norway than in Central Norway.
The excess heavy metal content of vegetation in Southern Norway may
be expected to influence the uptake of these elements in animals feeding
on natural vegetation in the areas concerned. The liver Pb content of lambs
from different areas of Norway was shown to be closely connected with the
Pb deposition (Fr~slie el al., 1984) as indicated by a correlation coefficient
of 0.94 between lamb liver Pb and moss Pb. Significant positive correlations
were also found for Cd. Se, and As.

D : South Norwoy

30 DIll : Centro I Norwoy

Zn

Zn
.10' Zn

-E
20
<>.
<>.
c Pb
0
+:
~c Pb Cd
.uc .10
0
u

2
~
. 10
Cd
.10
Pb

Cu
Cu

0
Btlfula Pinus Vaccinium Calluna
pubtlsctlns sylvtlsfris vifis-idatla vulgaris

Figure 9.6 Mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn and Cd in twigs of four common
plant species from South Norway and Central Norway (ppm). Cd and Zn values
are sometimes altered to fit onto the figure as indicated

REFERENCES
Allen, R. A. and Steinnes, E. (1980). Contribution from long-range atmosphedc
transport to the heavy metal pollution of surface soil. In Drablos, D., and Tollan,
A (Eds). Ecological Impact of Acid Precipitation, pp. 102-103, Oslo-As.
Impact of the Long-Range Atmospheric Transport of Heavy Metals 117

Froslie, A., Norheim, G., Rambaek, J. P., and Steinnes, E. (1985). Heavy metals in
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col, 34,175-182.
Hanssen, J. E., Rambaek, J. P., Semb, A., and Steinnes, E. (1980). Atmospheric
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Uig, J., and Steinnes, E. (1974). Soil selenium in relation to precipitation. Ambio.
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