Dataset of Chemical Element Concentrations in Snow Samples Collected in Jelgava City (Latvia), 2025
Description
This dataset contains concentrations of 14 chemical elements — Al, Si, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Ba, W, and Pb — measured in snow samples collected in Jelgava, Latvia, during the winter of 2025.
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The dataset was designed to provide insights into urban air pollution through the analysis of atmospheric deposition in snow cover. Snow samples were collected at 59 monitoring points across Jelgava city and one control site in Mežciems outside the city. At each site, three replicate samples were taken, resulting in 180 samples in total. Sampling was performed at a distance of 5 meters from the roadway or pedestrian paths using a cleaned metal ring (25 cm diameter, 7 cm height). The collected snow was transferred into sterile polypropylene containers (up to 1000 mL). After melting, samples were analyzed for trace and heavy metals using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (Agilent 8900 ICP-QQQ) equipped with a Micro-mist nebulizer and a He collision/reaction cell. Calibration was performed with certified standards traceable to NIST, and measurement quality was ensured with internal standards and regular verification. Concentrations are reported in µg/L. The dataset offers a spatially detailed overview of chemical element deposition in Jelgava during a single winter season. The inclusion of both urban and control samples makes it possible to distinguish between background and anthropogenic inputs. The data can be interpreted as indicators of traffic-related emissions, industrial activity, and diffuse pollution sources. Researchers can use this dataset to: • assess spatial patterns of atmospheric deposition in an urban environment, • support air quality monitoring and environmental risk assessment, • validate pollution dispersion models, • compare with historical or future measurements to identify trends.