Atmospheric supply of nitrogen, lead, cadmium, mercury and dioxins/furans to the Baltic Sea in 2006

	Authors: Jerzy Bartnicki - MSC-W of EMEP e-mail: jerzy.bartnicki@met.no Alexey Gusev - MSC-E of EMEP e-mail: alexey.gusev@msceast.org Wenche Aas - CCC of EMEP e-mail: wenche.aas@nilu.no Hilde Fagerli - MSC-W of EMEP e-mail: hilde.fagerli@met.no Semeena Valiyaveetil - MSC - W of EMEP e-mail: semeena.valiyaveetil@met.no

Summary

The results presented in this EMEP Centres Joint Report for HELCOM are based on the modelling and monitoring data presented to the 33rd Session of the Steering Body of EMEP in Geneva in September 2008. It includes measurements, as well as emissions and depositions calculated by the EMEP models of nitrogen compounds, heavy metals and PCDD/F for the year 2006.

The measured monthly and annual 2006 concentrations in air and precipitation for nitrogen species, heavy metals, as well as air concentrations for lindane are presented in the report. Both for nitrogen and heavy metals a significant south-east gradient can be noticed in the measured concentrations in 2006. The temporal patterns of monthly Cd and Pb concentrations show a strong winter maximum and temporal pattern of Hg monthly concentrations weaker winter maximum. During winter the atmospheric residence time is longer due to reduced vertical mixing.

Annual emissions from the HELCOM Contractig Parties in 2006 are shown below for all pollutants considered in the report. The annual nitrogen oxides emission from the international ship traffic on the Baltic Sea in 2006 is 346.7 kt NO₂).
 

Annual depositions of all considered pollutants in 2006 are shown in the Table below for 6 sub-basins of the Baltic Sea and for the entire Baltic Sea.

Oxidised nitrogen depositions in 2006 were slightly higher than in 2005 in all sub-basins and in the entire Baltic Sea Basin. Contrary, reduced nitrogen depositions in 2006 were slightly lower or remained on the same level as in 2005. Levels of lead and cadmium deposition to the entire Baltic Sea slightly decreased in 2006 comparing to 2005 by 4% and 2%, respectively. At the same time mercury deposition to the entire Baltic Sea for 2006 were almost 13% higher than for 2005. In case of PCDD/Fs there is a decrease of net deposition from 2005 to 2006 by 11%.

Separate Chapters of the report, as well as, links to the Indicator Fact Sheets can be found below.

This report has been prepared for the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, based on the model estimates and monitoring results which have been presented to the thirty second session of the Steering Body of EMEP (Co-operative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of Long-Range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe). This present, tenth joint summary report for HELCOM includes the measurements and results of modelling in the Baltic Sea region for oxidized nitrogen, reduced nitrogen, lead, cadmium, mercury and dioxins/furans for the year 2006. It has been developed in a frame of close collaboration between three modelling and monitoring EMEP centres: MSC-W, MSC-E and CCC, and is available now on the EMEP WEB pages and later on the HELCOM WEB pages. The report, as a draft, was presented and discussed at the Eleventh MONAS Meeting (3-7/11/2008) in Stockholm, Sweden, together with corresponding drafts of the Indicator Fact Sheets. Participants of this meeting were asked for the comments and corrections whichare taken into account in the final version of the report and in the Indicator Fact Sheets, as well. All comments/corrections received form the HELCOM Parties are listed on this site.

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to the scientific teams at MSC-E, MSC-W and CCC for providing the results included in this report and especially to Per Helmer Skaali for his help with the Internet related tasks. We are grateful to Ms. Marina Varygina, Dr. Ilia Iliyn and Prof. Victor Shatalov for their contribution to this work, valuable remarks and comments.

Last updated 19 December 2008