Heavy metal content of rainwater in Geneva, New York, during 1983

Concentrations of 19 elements in rainwater samples, collected between March and October 1983, were determined by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy. Concentrations of cobalt, arsenic, chromium, vanadium, tin, lead, strontium, copper, aluminium, barium, titanium and nickel were below detection limits. Volume weighted average concentrations (mg per litre) were 1.19 for calcium, 0.24 for magnesium, 0.028 for cadmium, 0.017 for zinc, 0.012 for iron, 0.0063 for manganese, and 0.29 for phosphorus. Average pH was 4.3. The ratio of calculated to observed specific conductivity was 0.9. Linear correlation coefficients showed that calcium and magnesium concentrations were closely correlated (r equalled 0.95) implying a common source, probably agricultural lime. Phosphorus was correlated with calcium and magnesium (r equalled 0.42 and 0.45 respectively) suggesting that its source was agricultural (phosphate fertilizers) but that it was handled independently of lime. Cadmium iron and manganese were weakly correlated, suggesting a common metallurgical origin. The mean cadmium concentrations measured in this study were 50-100 times higher than those reported for samples collected before 1980. However, from analysis of soil samples and dry deposition, it would appear that the unknown source of the cadmium was not local.