Heavy Metal Deposition Mapping: Concentrations and Deposition of Heavy Metals in Rural Areas of the UK: Annex to SID4 Interim Report Covering the Period January 2010 – July 2011

Executive Summary CEH has been monitoring the concentrations of a range of heavy metals in rural locations across the UK since 2004. The data are compiled to provide information of the background concentrations of these pollutants, and are used to demonstrate compliance with relevant air quality legislation. The measured concentrations are also used to calculate annual deposition of heavy metals and to produce UK maps of concentration and deposition. This report provides the concentration and deposition data for samples collected during 2010 and up to 30th June 2011 . The heavy metals (and metalloids) which are monitored are aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), cadmium (Cd), caesium (Cs); chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), lithium (Li), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), rubidium (Rb), scandium (Sc), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), tin (Sn), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), uranium (U), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn). The background concentrations of metals in air and rainwater can show significant inter-year variations and since the scheme has only been operating since 2004, there are insufficient data to report on definitive trends. However, the 2010/11 concentrations are similar to those reported in previous years, and in general, concentrations at most sites have reduced over the period of the monitoring. The concentration data are integrated with rainfall and other meteorological data to determine the annual UK wet and dry deposition budget for each metal. The 2010 deposition values included in this report are based upon the ratified rainfall data for 2010 as supplied by The Met Office, and can be considered as final values. In addition to the normal annual reporting schedule of concentrations and depositions of heavy metals in the UK, the 2011 includes quarterly updated running annual means based upon the previous 12 months of sample collection. This gives 4 quarterly reported annual means covering the periods: • Quarter 1 – samples collected between April 2010 and March 2011 • Quarter 2 - samples collected between July 2010 and June 2011 • Quarter 3 - samples collected between October 2010 and September 2011 • Quarter 4 – samples collected between January 2011 and December 2011 Note that quarter 4 will correspond to the traditional annual reporting cycle, and will be the data used to calculate annual deposition. Total deposition will not be calculated for quarters 1-3, as the required rainfall data is based upon a calendar year. This is an interim report with the aim of providing the data required by Defra. Full interpretation of the data will be included in a forthcoming project report which will include a more in depth analysis of the spatial and temporal trends in the concentrations and depositions of heavy metals in rural areas of the UK.