Atmospheric long range transport of lead to Denmark

Lead in bulk precipitation (rain water + dustfall) was measured in 42 randomly taken 24-hour samples from Keldsnor, Langeland, Denmark. Trajectories were computed to find the origin of the rain-bearing air masses. It is shown that the mean lead concentrations of bulk precipitation in cases with air trajectories from Central Europe, England and the Atlantic, respectively, were significantly different at the 0.1% level. From the amount of precipitation and the frequency of transport events, it is estimated that ~2/3 of the lead deposition in the rural environment of Denmark more than 100 m from roads is transported from long range.