Air pollution status of a representative site in the Czech Republic Brdy Mountains

To analyze air quality and deposition over a forest site in the Czech Republic, a cooperative study was implemented in July 1993 within the Brdy Mountains. Weekly average concentration measurements of SO2, SO4-2, NO3-, NH4+, and HNO3 were made at the Brdy Mountains during the periods 2 July, 1993 to 2 December, 1994 and 2 June, 1995 to 9 September, 1995. The annual concentration of SO4-2, 3.9&plusmn1.6 μg m-3, was two times higher compared to other regional measurements. A local source of SO2 may be a contributing factor. The annual concentration of NH4+, 1.5&plusmn0.6 μg m-3, is lower than anticipated by a modeling study of European sources. Dry deposition of SO4-2 and NO3- was calculated by combining measured concentrations with modeled deposition velocity based on in-situ meteorological measurements. The inferred, seasonally weighted, average annual deposition during the study period was 324 kg km-2 for SO4-2 and 115 kg km-2 for NO3-. Ozone concentrations during an abbreviated period of July 1994 averaged 57 ppb and did not vary diurnally, indicating regional anthropogenic precursors for the photochemical generation of O3.