Heavy metal depositions in Austria (collection 2000)

The report of the Federal Environment Agency examines the concentrations of 13 toxicologically relevant metals as well as of sulphur in moss and concludes from them their input from the atmosphere. Regionally elevated values of individual elements can be found in the Rhine Valley, in the Lower Inn Valley, in the Pannonian region, around Treibach-Althofen, Leoben-Donawitz and Reutte. The deposition of lead, molybdenum and cadmium has decreased sharply, slightly from mercury, vanadium and nickel. An increase is particularly noticeable for copper and cobalt. The analysis of 7 industrial regions also showed higher values for some metals, while the Linz area has comparatively low metal deposition for an industrial region. The report is a contribution to the monitoring of ICP vegetation as part of the UN ECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution.