Evidence for decrease in atmospheric sulfur burden in the eastern United States caused by reduction in SO2 emissions

• Published in: Geophysical research letters 1998-04, Vol.25 (7), p.967-970
• Main Authors: Husain, Liaquat, Dutkiewicz, Vincent A., Das, Mita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Chemical composition and interactions. Ionic interactions and processes; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Meteorology; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/98GL00641

We report aerosol SO42− measurements from 1979 to 1996 at Whiteface Mountain located in the Adirondack Mountains and from 1983 at Mayville, in western New York State. From 1981 to 1991 SO42− decreased, ∼3% per year. Reductions of nearly 47% in SO42− and total sulfur concentrations at Whiteface Mountain, and about 30% at Mayville, were observed during 1995 to 96 compared with the mean levels during 1981–91, while the upwind SO2 emissions in the Midwestern United States decreased by 36%. Linear relationships between SO42− and total sulfur concentrations and the SO2 emissions were observed for the entire period. The mean ratio of SO42− concentrations to SO2 emissions for the eighteen year period at Whiteface Mountain is 0.11 ± 0.014 and for thirteen years at Mayville is 0.23± 0.014 µg SO42−/m³ per 10³ metric tons SO2 emitted per day. The data suggest that the observed relationship could be used to predict decreases in atmospheric SO42− levels based on SO2 emissions several years hence. Furthermore, it appears feasible to develop an empirical source‐receptor relationship if similar data were acquired from a network of strategically located sampling sites.