Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Concentrations of Nitrogen and Sulfur Species in Gas and Rainwater from Six Sites in Indonesia

  • Published:
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gas mixing ratios of SO2, NO2 and HNO3 and nitrate and sulfate concentrations in rainwater have beenmeasured at six sites in Indonesia. The sites, Jakarta, Serang,Cilegon, Merak and Bogor, in Java, and Bukit Koto Tabang inSumatra, provide a range of pollution regimes in Indonesia.Jakarta and Bogor are heavily polluted sites in Java, whereasBukit Koto Tabang is a clean air station in a relativelyunpopulated area on the west coast of equatorial Sumatra. At thesesites rainwater was collected daily and gas samples weeklyduring 1996. The other three sites Serang, Cilegon and Merakrepresent smaller regional towns in west Java. At these sitesrainwater samples were collected weekly from June 1991 untilJune 1992.The results show that Jakarta has the highest volume-weightedmean sulfate concentrations in rainwater while the lowest weremeasured at Bukit Koto Tabang. Volume-weighted mean nitrateconcentration was about 24 μeq L-1 at Jakarta and Bogor,significantly higher than the 0.8 μeq L-1 measured atBukit Koto Tabang.Sulfur dioxide mixing ratios ranged from 4–7 ppbv in Jakarta toan average of 1.3 ppbv at Bukit Koto Tabang. Nitrogen dioxidemixing ratio was highest in Jakarta averaging 28 ppbv comparedwith the background mixing ratio of 1.2 ppbv at Bukit KotoTabang. Using dry deposition velocities estimated during aseparate study in the similar conditions of Malaysia enabled drydeposition estimates of SO2, HNO3 and NO2.Results of estimated total acidic S and N deposition (wet anddry) were greater than 250 meq m-2 yr-1 at the Jakartaand Bogor sites compared with about 23 meq m-2 yr-1 atBukit Koto Tabang. At Jakarta and Bogor dry deposition accountedfor more than 50% of the total deposition estimates compared with about 20% at Bukit Koto Tabang. Such deposition rates arehigh when compared to critical loads estimated for Indonesia bythe RAINS-Asia model. In this model, critical loads in western Java and equatorial western Sumatra fall into one of twoclasses: 50–100 and 20–50 meq m-2 yr-1. Thus acidic deposition flux at Jakarta and Bogor wasfound to be above the predicted critical loads even for the moreacid insensitive soils.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arndt, R. L., Carmichael, G. R. and Roorda, J. M.: 1998, Seasonal source-receptor relationships in Asia. Atmos. Environ. 23, 1397–1406.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayers, G. P. and Gillett, R. W.: 1988, 'Acidification in Australia', in Rodge, H. and Herrera, R. (eds.), Acidification in Tropical Countries, SCOPE 36, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, U.K., pp. 347–400.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayers, G. P.: 1991, Atmospheric acidification in the Asian region. Environ. Mon. and Assess. 19, 225–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayers, G. P., Gillett, R. W., Selleck, P., Warne, J. O., Huysing, P. and Forgan, B. W.: 1993, A pilot study on rain-water composition at Darwin airport. Aust. Met. Mag. 42, 143–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayers, G. P., Gillett, R.W., Ginting, N., Hooper, M., Selleck, P.W. and Tapper, N.: 1995, Atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen in West Java. Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 85, 2083–2088.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayers, G. P., Fukuzaki, N., Gillett, R. W., Selleck, P. W., Powell, J. C. and Hara, H.: 1998a, Thymol as a biocide in Japanse rainwater. J. Atmos. Chem. 30, 301–310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayers, G. P., Keywood, M. D., Gillett. R. W., Manins, P. C., Malfroy, H. and Bardsley, T.: 1998b, Validation of passive diffusion samplers for SO2 and NO2. Atmos. Environ. 32, 3587–3592.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayers, G. P., Leong Chow Peng, Lim Sze Fook, Cheah Wai Kong, Gillett, R. W. and Manins, P. C.: 1999, Atmospheric Acidity and Acid Deposition at Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, 1993-1998, Tellus (in press).

  • Baldocchi, D. D., Hicks, B. B. and Camara, P.: 1987, A canopy stomatal resistance model for gaseous deposition to vegetated surfaces. Atmos. Environ. 21, 91–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butlin, R. N., Yates, T. J. S., Murray, M. and Ashall, G.: 1995, The United Kingdom national materials exposure programme. Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 85, 2655–2660.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carmichael, F. R., Ferm, M., Adikary, S., Ahmad, J., Mohan, M., Hong, M.-S., Chen, L., Fook, L., Liu, C. M., Soedomo, M., Tran, G., Suksomsank, K., Zhao, D., Arndt, R. and Chen, L. L.: 1995, Observed regional distribution of sulfur dioxide in Asia, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 85, 2289–2294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowling, E. B.: 1982, Acid deposition in historical perspective. Environ. Sci. Technol. 16, 110a–123a.

    Google Scholar 

  • EPA: 1994, Quality assurance handbook for air pollution measurement systems, Vol V: Precipitation Measurement Systems, US EPA, Office of research and development, Washington DC 20460, Report no. EPA/600/R-94/038e.

  • Ferm, M.: 1991, A sensitive diffusional sampler. Report L91-172, IVL, Box 47086, 402 58 Goteborg, Sweden.

  • Ferm, M.: 1993, Data from Passive Sampling of SO 2 , NO 2 and NH 3, G. P. Ayers (ed.), Proc. 2nd IGAC CAAPWorkshop, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Bombay, 30th September-2nd October 1992.

  • Ferm, M. and Svanberg, P.-A.: 1998, Cost-efficient techniques for urban and background measurements of SO2 and NO2. Atmos. Environ. 32, 1377–1381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galloway, J. N., Likens, G. E. and Edgerton, E. S.: 1976, Acid deposition in north eastern United States, pH and acidity. Science 194, 722–724.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galloway, J. N.: 1995, Acid deposition: Perspectives in time and space. Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 85, 15–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillet, R. W. and Ayers, G. P.: 1991, The use of thymol as a biocide in rainwater samples. Atmos. Environ. 25A, 2677–2681.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hettelingh, J.-P., Downing, R. R. and de Smet, P. A. M.: 1991, Mapping critical loads for Europe, CCE Technical Report No. 1, Coordination Centre for Effects, National Inst. Public Health and Environ. Protection, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

  • Hettelingh, J.-P., Svendrup, H. and Zhao, D.: 1995, Deriving critical loads for Asia. Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 85, 2565–2570.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hicks, B. B., Baldocchi, D. D., Meyers, T. P., Hosker Jr., R. P. and Matt, D. R.: 1987, A preliminary multiple resistance routine for deriving dry deposition velocities from measured quantities. Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 36, 311–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kucera, V. and Fitz, S.: 1995, Direct and indirect air pollution effects on materials including cultural monuments. Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 85, 153–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuylenstierna, J. C. I., Cambridge, H., Cinderby, S. and Chadwick, M. J.: 1995, Terrestrial ecosystem sensitivity to acidic deposition in developing countries. Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 85, 2319–2324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Likens, G. E.: 1976, Acid deposition. Chem. Eng. News 54, 29–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Likens, G. E. and Butler, T. J.: 1981, Recent acidification of precipitation in North America. Atmos. Environ. 15, 1103–1109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Millero, F. J.: 1974, The physical chemistry of seawater. Ann. Rev. Earth Plan. Sci. 2, 101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manins, P. C.: 1994, Modelling dry deposition in the Klang Valley.Workshop on acid rain network in South, East and Southeast Asia (ARNSESEA), 17-19 May 1994, Federal Hotal, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysian Scientific Association and others.

  • Meyers, T. P., Hicks, B. B., Hosker Jr. R. P., Womack, J. D. and Satterfield, L. C.: 1991, Dry deposition inferential measurement techniques-II. Seasonal and annual deposition rates of sulfur and nitrate. Atmos., Environ. 25A, 2361–2370.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nilsson, J. (ed.): 1986, Critical loads for sulfur and nitrogen: Report from a Nordic Working Group, Nordic Council of Ministers, Gotab Stockholm.

  • Nilsson, J. and Grennfelt, P. (eds): 1988, Critical loads for sulfur and nitrogen, Miljorapport 1988: 15, Nordic Council of Ministers.

  • Noller, B. N., Currey, N. A., Ayers, G. P. and Gillett, R.W.: 1990, Chemical composition and acidity of rainfall in the Alligotor Rivers region of Northern Territory, Australia. Sci. Tot. Environ. 91, 23–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanhueza, E., Cuenca, G., Gomez, M. J., Herrera, R., Ishizaki, C., Marti, J. and Paolini, J.: 1988, 'Characterisation of the Venezuelan Environmental and its Potential for Acidification', in Rodhe, H. and Herrera, R. (eds), Acidification in Tropical Countries, SCOPE 36, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, U.K., pp. 347–400.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, D. and Xiong, J.: 1988, 'Acidification in Southwestern China', in Rodhe, H. and Herrera, R (eds), Acidification in Tropical Countries, SCOPE 36, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, U.K., pp. 347–400.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIRO Atmospheric Research, Aspendale, Victoria 3195, Australia (author for correspondence, e-mail

    R. W. Gillett, G. P. Ayers & P. W. Selleck

  2. Bureau of Meteorology and Geophysics, Jakarta, Indonesia

    MHW Tuti & H. Harjanto

Authors
  1. R. W. Gillett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. P. Ayers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. W. Selleck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. MHW Tuti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. H. Harjanto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. W. Gillett.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gillett, R.W., Ayers, G.P., Selleck, P.W. et al. Concentrations of Nitrogen and Sulfur Species in Gas and Rainwater from Six Sites in Indonesia. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 120, 205–215 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005223124903

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005223124903

Search

Navigation