The detection limits (DL) for particulate species with the high volume samplers, taken as three times the standard deviation of field blanks, were (in ng m−3 and for a sampling duration of 24 h): 33.4 (Na+), 0.2 (NH4+), 5.7 (K+), 5.3 (Mg2+), 16.9 (Ca2+), 9.0 (Cl−), 3.9 (NO3−), 11.9 (SO42−). However the high volume sampler DL of NH4+ was estimated from the IC instrument DL because the concentration of this ion in the field blanks was below the DL of the instrument.