The photochemical reactions of iron species in rain and snow in Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan

This paper describes the concentrations of total dissolved iron (tFe) and $Fe^{2+}$ in rainwater and snow, the relationship of Fe species with other metals and ions in bulk rainwater, and the $Fe^{2+}$ generation mechanism in aqueous samples in rainwater of time series collection. Volume weight mean concentrations of tFe and $Fe^{2+}$ were 3.22 and $1.25{\mu}gL^{-1}$ in bulk rainwater, and 50.1 and $43.5{\mu}gL^{-1}$ in snow, respectively. $Fe^{2+}$ was significant fraction to the tFe, accounted for 3.25-93.4% of the tFe in rainwater and 87% in snow. We also investigated temporal variations of tFe, $Fe^{2+}$, other metals and ions in rainwater of time series collection during rain event. Although the concentration range of tFe was different from those of other species, a decreasing trend of tFe from the beginning of the rain event was similar with other species. However, though $Fe^{2+}$ did not show such a decreasing trend, $Fe^{2+}$/tFe was in good correlation with solar radiation. From the results of multiple linear regression analysis and thermodynamic calculations (Mineql+), $Fe^{2+}$ in our samples may be generated from photochemical reduction of $Fe^{3+}$ species (such as $Fe(OH)^{2+}$,$Fe(OH)^{2+}$ and Fe-oxalate) at daytime.