A Pollution of Fog by Ionic Components and Insoluble Substances at Akita Hachimantai Mountain Range

In order to investigate the acidification and pollution of fog, fog water samples were collected in the Akita Hachimantai mountain range at the northern Japan from August to September, 1997 and June to September, 1998 and 1999. The ionic components and the insoluble substances in fog water were analyzed using ion chromatography and Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) analysis, respectively. Combining a 72h back trajectory to the chemical analysis, the effect of the transportation course of an air mass on the insoluble substances and ionic components in the samples was discussed. When the air mass was transported from the northeastern China to the Hachimantai range, the acidity of fog water was highest in all cases. This acidification was mainly caused by nss-SO42- and NO3-. It was found that the fog water in this case would contain “Kosa” as the insoluble substances from the northeastern China.