Atmopheric heavy metal deposition in Northern and Eastern Europe, including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and adjacent areas of the Russian Federation, was monitored in 1990 by using mosses. This technique is based on the fact that some lichens and bryophytes are capable of trapping airborne heavy metal pollution so that the concentrations of heavy metals in the moss are closely correlated to atmospheric deposition. Results for lead and Cadium are illustrated in Maps 7.5 and 7.6 (Nordic Council of Ministers, 1992). For all metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, nickel, vanadium and zinc) the regional deposition shows a decreasing gradient from relatively high values in the southern parts of Scandinavia to low values towards the north. The pattern of deposition in the Baltic region is due to long-range transport and local sources. Map 7.5 - Lead deposition, inferred from analysed moss samples Source: Nordic Council of Ministers, 1992 Map 7.6 - Cadmium deposition, inferred from analysed moss samples Source: Nordic Council of Ministers, 1992
Source: Nordic Council of Ministers, 1992
Map 7.6 - Cadmium deposition, inferred from analysed moss samples