Proceedings of AMAP Workshop on Sources, Emissions and Discharges. Kjeller, 23-24 August 2001.

Abstract

This document provides information on sources, emissions and discharges of contaminants measured in the Arctic environment. This information was obtained at the AMAP Workshop on Sources, Emissions, and Discharges,organized at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, in Kjeller, Norway from 23 through 24 August, 2001. The purpose of the Workshop was to contribute to the assessment of current and future sources and emissions of chemicals worldwide. Another objective was to review the application of knowledge of emissions and sources ofheavy metals in modelling their transport within air masses and water currents to the Arctic region. It can be concluded that sources in Asia may have an important influence on the concentrations of heavy metals in various environmental compartments in the Arctic. The atmospheric transport seems to be the main pathway for Hg entering the Arctic region. The opposite is true for Zn. For Pb and Cd the atmospheric transport and the riverine pathway are equally important. However, one should be cautioned that the above mentioned conclusions need further verification.