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Recovery from anthropogenic acidification in streams and lakes is well documented across the northern hemisphere. In this study, we use 1996–2009 data from the four Swedish Integrated Monitoring catchments to evaluate how the declining sulfur deposition has affected sulfate, pH, acid neutralizing capacity, ionic strength, aluminum, and dissolved organic carbon in soil water, groundwater and runoff. Differences in recovery rates between catchments, between recharge and discharge areas and between soil water and groundwater are assessed. At the IM sites, atmospheric deposition is the main human impact. The chemical trends were weakly correlated to the sulfur deposition decline. Other factors, such as marine influence and catchment features, seem to be as important. Except for pH and DOC, soil water and groundwater showed similar trends. Discharge areas acted as buffers, dampening the trends in streamwater. Further monitoring and modeling of these hydraulically active sites should be encouraged.

Sampling of groundwater in theQuaternary deposits was carried out at 70 sitesin Stockholm for, among other things, metalanalyses. The objectives were to get a notion of the metal content and to get a basis for anestimation of the order of magnitude of thegroundwater transported metal contribution to themain surface water bodies in comparison to otherroutes. Thus, in three watershed areaswithin the Stockholm Town, groundwater flow andmetal concentration propagation were simulatedand metal fluxes were calculated. Theconcentrations of heavy metals were in generalfound to be very high in comparison withgroundwater in forested areas. This was mostpronounced for mercury (Hg) and copper (Cu). Themost remarkable result was a Hg concentration of4.57 μg L-1 in the vicinity of a closed downhospital. The annual contribution of heavy metals(kg) by groundwater to the main surface waterbodies was estimated to: As (2.2), Cd (0.20), Co(4.9), Cr (3.1), Cu (34), Hg (0.06), Ni (28), Pb(2.2) Zn (118). These fluxes are much smallerthan those in forest ecosystems, due to lowergroundwater recharge in urban areas, where agreat part of the runoff is diverted bylandsealing, drainage, tunnels etc. The modelingresults emphasize the importance of the sorptionprocesses indicating that the modeled areas arein a non-steady state condition. It also showsthat the sources generating elevatedconcentrations of the high adsorptive metals Pband Hg are likely to be nearby.

The deposition of sulphyr (S) has decreased considerably during the last decade and is now at levels below those recorded in the middle of the 1950s in Sweden. However, the sulphate concentrations in surface waters have not decreased to the extent that could be expected from the decreased S deposition. Catchment studies have shown a net S output, indicating a soil-derived S source besides the atmospheric S input. This study was performed in three small, forested catchments in southern and central Sweden, that are part of the national, integrated monitoring program for forests. The aim was to assess S levels and fluxes in and between the different compartments of the ecosystems in order to trace the possible sources of excess S in runoff. The sulphate concentrations in soil water indicate that the excess S originates from mineralization and oxidation of organically bound S in humus and peat, as well as from desorption of sulphate from Fe and Al oxohydroxides in the B-horizon. The latter process will quickly respond to changes in S deposition, while the former probably is independent of S deposition in a short time perspective. This will have implications for the modelling of recovery from soil and surface water acidification.

Long-term integrated catchment monitoring within the Swedish Environmental Monitoring Programme (PMK) aims primarely at the fate and effects of pollutants in mature ecosystems, mainly protected boreal forests. The measurements that were conducted since the early eighties, with some variation, included deposition, throughfall, litterfall and the chemistry of soil water, groundwater and runoff water.Together with, or perhaps partly due to acidification, accumulation and transport of heavy metals are a serious threat to the ecosystem and in the end to the health of human beings. This paper discuss the behaviour of Hg, Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu based on the experiece gained from the studies in the small catchment areas. The importance of present deposition, soil storage and biogeochemical condition for metal mobility to the transport of metals is discussed The storages of Hg and Pb have been built up during a long time span and are very large in comparison with the flux. The present atmospheric deposition have probably little impact on the flux, which rather is governed by the biogeochemical conditions. There is still a small accumulation of Cd, but its great mobility under acidic conditions makes input and output almost in balance. A reduction in deposition will probably have an immediate effect on flux, which also is the case for Zn. Cu generally accumulates in soil. The mobility and hence the flux are certainly regulated by the biogeochemical conditions, but more detailed studies are required to reveal the general mecanisms for Cu transport within the catchment.

To contribute to the understanding of Hg flow to forest lakes the storage of Hg in the soil of a catchment was quantified, the transport of Hg from the recharge area to the discharge area was studied and a mass balance for different soil horizons was calculated. The transport of Hg in soil, ground and stream water was estimated using water flows from a hydrological model and by determining Hg in water sampled with a clean procedure. The estimate for the annual Hg flux out of the till overburden in the catchment was 3.4 g km−2. The annual flux was reduced to 1.3 g km−2 in the stream, indicating interception in a lake. The transport was predominantly taking place in the upper 50 cm of the soil. The storage of Hg in the soil was 8.8 kg km−2, which is large compared to the flux. A net accumulation, amounting to 80% of the Hg deposition, is almost entirely located to the nor layer.

As a result of air pollution, the content of Hg in fish has significantly increased in a large part of Scandinavia and North America. In this paper, the occurence and fluxes of Hg in Swedish forest soils and waters are reviewed and synthesized. The main objective is to describe and evaluate the present transport of anthropogenic Hg from atmospheric deposition, through the terrestrial compartment and running waters to lake basins and also to comprehend the main factors influencing these fluxes. The transportation and distribution. of Hg in forest soils and waters is closely related to the flow of organic matter. The content of Hg in humic matter is higher in southern and central areas compared to the north of the country. Compared to background concentrations, the Hg content has increased in the southern and central part by about a factor of 4–7, while the overall increase in the north is by about a factor of 2 to 3. The increased content of Hg in forest soils may have an effect on organisms and biological processes in the soil. Regarding budget calculations for whole catchment areas and for the mor layer of the soil, a reduction of about 80% from present atmospheric wet deposition must be obtained to reach “critical load” with respect to conditions in Scandinavia.

Integrated monitoring of ecosystems (IM) is an international co-operative programme (ICP) to control effects of air pollution and climate change on water, soil and biological systems. It is a part of the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) of the United Nations Economic Commission of Europe (UN/ECE). The ICP-IM is undertaken on sites/catchments to investigate acidification, eutrophication and heavy metals with an integrated approach. In Sweden, long-term time series from forest ecosystems, with a long and stable continuity, will reveal trends and changes in processes and enable modelling to be undertaken. Investigations of acidity/alkalinity in relation to mineral and organic acids indicated the importance of atmospheric deposition. Recent results show very high inorganic nitrogen retention (99%), a net loss of sulphur originating mainly from organic horizons, and a high inorganic aluminium content in the illuvial soil horizons which could be detrimental to forests. Forest deficiency could also be caused by an observed ongoing translocation of Zn to deeper soil layers implying a movement towards increased release to surface waters.

During the last decade a new pattern of Hg pollution has been discerned, mostly in Scandinavia and North America. Fish from low productive lakes, even in remote areas, have been found to have a high Hg content. This pollution problem cannot be connected to single Hg discharges but is due to more widespread air pollution and long-range transport of pollutants. A large number of waters are affected and the problem is of a regional character. The national limits for Hg in fish are exceeded in a large number of lakes. In Sweden alone, it has been estimated that the total number of lakes exceeding the blacklisting limit of 1 mg Hg kg-1 in 1-kg pike is about 10 000.

This paper raises the question of the representativeness of a single chemical analysis of groundwater. This is undertaken with the knowledge of the variations in chemical constituents obtained in the groundwater chemistry programme of the Groundwater network of SGU. The variations in time and space are described for an area of 30 km2. The main geological feature of the area is a glaciofluvial esker. The esker is surrounded by littoral sand and till. The measurements show that the pH varies in a similar way in the three types of aquifers, but the variations in alkalinity, calcium content and conductivity are much greater within the till aquifer than in the aquifers consisting of glaciofluvial and littoral material. An example is also given of the significance of depth and hydrogeological location within a small till aquifer on the level of concentration of some chemical substances in groundwater.