9.02.4.3 Abundance and Distribution in Natural Waters
Concentrations of arsenic in natural waters vary by more than four orders of magnitude and depend on the source of the arsenic and the local geochemical conditions (Smedley and Kinniburgh, 2002). The greatest range and highest concen¬trations of arsenic are found in groundwaters, soil solutions, and sediment pore waters because of the presence of favorable conditions for arsenic release and accumulation. Because the range in concen¬trations of arsenic in water is large, “typical” values are difficult to derive. Concentrations can also vary significantly with time.
9.02.4.3.1 Atmospheric precipitation
Arsenic enters the atmosphere as a result of wind erosion, volcanic emissions, low-tempera- ture volatilization from soils, marine aerosols, and pollution. It is returned to the Earth’s surface by wet and dry deposition. The most important pollutant inputs are from smelter operations and fossil-fuel combustion. Concentrations of arsenic in rainfall and snow in rural areas are typically less than 0.03 mgL—1 (Table 6), although they are generally higher in areas affected by smelters, coal burning, and volcanic emissions. Andreae (1980) found arsenic concentrations of —0.5 mgL—1 in rainfall from areas affected by smelting and coal burning. Higher concentrations (average 16 mg L—:) have been reported in rainfall 35 km downwind of a copper smelter in Seattle, USA (Crecelius, 1975). Values for Arizona snowpacks
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