Elemental Composition of Near-Ground Aerosol Near the Northwestern Coast of Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea

Abstract

Aerosol samples PM_2.5 (44 filters), collected in 2013–2014 on the coast of the White Sea, were examined for the presence of trace elements. The entire sampling period was divided into conventional seasons: one snow-covered season, when the effect of terrigenous dust is minimal, and two snow-free seasons, when the effects of both anthropogenic and terrigenous sources are distinctly manifested. The snow-free seasons are characterized by the largest dispersion of elemental concentrations. The snow-covered season differs from snow-free seasons by the predominance of the western directions of air mass transport. Analysis of the directions of transport of air masses and aerosol admixtures to the observation site made it possible to identify a few groups of trace elements of natural (La, Nd, Sr, Ga) and predominantly anthropogenic origin (V, Ni, Cu and Pb, Bi, Cd).