Back trajectory analysis of precipitation chemistry in the urban and forest areas of Istanbul, Turkey

There are many influences on precipitation chemistry and its variation. The transport paths of air masses before rainfall provide useful knowledge for evaluating and understanding the results of the analysis of the chemical compositions of precipitation. As a consequence, it is important to determine the variation of the chemical composition of rainwater by back trajectory analysis for estimating the source of the emissions. In this study, the rainwater samples were collected using specially designed collectors between November 1997 and June 1998 in the urban and forest areas of Istanbul. The rainwater samples were analyzed for major ion concentrations and pH. The volume-weighed mean pH values were 5.8. The rainwater samples were classified to determine the source region of pollutants in rainwater using synoptic maps. In general, the results of the analysis on the chemical concentrations of precipitation during the measurement period showed that most of ions reached Istanbul from the directions of W-SW, NW-W, and NE-N, respectively.