Role of aqueous and aerial migration in pollutants exposure

Role of Aqueous and Aerial Migration in Pollutants Exposure It is well known that the total content of water-soluble solids in natural waters (TSS) is increasing with an increasing aridity. The concentration of some trace elements (heavy metals) correlates significantly with the total content of soluble solids. Comparison 

We can see that for zinc the average content in surface waters of various ecosystems is increasing in as follows Forest Forest Steppe Steppe. Similar peculiarities are shown for strontium. However, for some metals this tendency is not confirmed or even we can see the opposite direction, for instance for manganese, whose content is higher in waters of Forest ecosystems. 

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For understanding these tendencies, we will consider the values of the biogeo-chemical coefficient of aqueous migration. This coefficient Cw is the ratio between the content of an element in the sum of water-soluble salts and in geological rocks. The values of Cw for certain chemical species are smaller in Arid ecosystems than those in Forest ecosystems. We can suggest two explanations. First, soils of Forest ecosystems are enriched in water-soluble metal-organic complexes (see Chapter 7). Second, most chemical species are trapped in the transpiration barrier of upper soil layers of Arid ecosystems. 

Yellow sand formation and transport in Asia (after Jie Xuan, 1999, see Bashkin, 2002) 

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