ATMOSPHERIC WET DEPOSITION OF TOTAL PHOSPHORUS IN NEW JERSEY YVONNE KOELLIKER 1 , LISA A. TOTTEN 1∗ , CARI L. GIGLIOTTI 1 , JOHN H. OFFENBERG 1 , JOHN R. REINFELDER 1 , YAN ZHUANG 1 and STEVEN J. EISENREICH 1,2 1 Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, U.S.A.; 2 Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, TP 290, I-21020 Ispra (VA), Italy ( ∗ author for correspondence, e-mail: totten@envsci.rutgers.edu; phone: 732.932.9588) (Received 6 August 2002; accepted 20 November 2003) Abstract. Wet deposition of total phosphorus has been measured as part of the New Jersey Atmo- spheric Deposition Network (NJADN). Precipitation samples were collected in 1999–2001, using automated wet-only precipitation collectors at four sites in New Jersey, representing different land- use regimes. Total phosphorus volume-weighted mean concentrations (VWM) and the wet depos- itional fluxes were estimated on seasonal and annual timescales. VWM concentrations (± standard error) of total phosphorus ranged from 4.1 ± 0.80 to 15 ± 8.8 µgL −1 at all sites and were of similar magnitude across the region. The wet deposition flux estimates ranged from 3.9 to 14 mg m −2 y −1 . VWM concentrations and fluxes were similar to those measured at other locations in the eastern United States. Keywords: New Jersey Atmospheric Deposition Network, nutrients, precipitation, rain 1. Introduction Atmospheric deposition of phosphorus and nitrogen has been shown to be a sig- nificant contributor to the total loading of nutrients to aquatic ecosystems (Eis- enreich et al., 1977; Morales et al., 2001; Manny and Owens, 1983; Delumyea and Petel, 1977). Due to its nature as a limiting nutrient in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, excess phosphorus can lead to enhanced biological activity resulting in eutrophication. Prior to the 1970s, most detergents contained phosphates that, when discharged to surface waters, acted as fertilizers perpetuating the growth of undesirable autotrophs, such as algae and aquatic plant life. Considerable effort has gone into the abatement of point sources of phosphorus such as primary and secondary-treated wastewater streams (Ahn, 1999). Controlling non-point source additions is significantly more difficult. Non-point sources such as agricultural run- off, weathering/soil erosion, bird droppings, incineration, biomass burning (Migon and Sandroni, 1999; Ahn, 1999), and atmospheric deposition have the potential to contribute significant amounts of phosphorus to aquatic ecosystems. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 154: 139–150, 2004. © 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.