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    67 views6 pages

    What Is Acid Rain

    Uploaded by

    Prerna Vora

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 6

    CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN

    What is Acid Rain?


    Acid Rain as the name suggests can be said to be the precipitation of acid in the form of rain in
    the simplest manner. When atmospheric pollutants like oxides of nitrogen and sulphur react with
    rainwater and come down with the rain, then this results in Acid Rain.
    Acid rain is made up of highly acidic water droplets due to air emissions, most specifically the
    disproportionate levels of sulphur and nitrogen emitted by vehicles and manufacturing processes.
    Often called acid rain as this concept contains many types of acidic precipitation.
    The acidic deposition takes place in two ways: wet, and dry. Wet deposition is any form of
    precipitation which removes acids from the atmosphere and places them on the surface of the earth.
    In the absence of precipitation, dry deposition of polluting particles and gases sticks to the ground
    through dust and smoke
    According to EPA

    “Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form of precipitation with
    acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the
    atmosphere in wet or dry forms.  This can include rain, snow, fog, hail or even dust that
    is acidic.
    Forms of Acid Rain
    There are two forms in which acid deposition occurs – wet and dry. Both are discussed below:

    1. Wet Deposition
    When the wind blows the acidic chemicals in the air to the areas where the weather is wet, the
    acids fall to the ground in the form of rain, sleet, fog, snow or mist. It removes acid from the
    atmosphere and deposits them on the earth’s surface.

    When this acid flows through the ground, it affects a large number of plants, animals and aquatic
    life. The water from drain flows into rivers and canals which is them mixed up with seawater,
    thereby affecting marine habitats.
    2. Dry Deposition
    If the wind blows the acidic chemicals in the air to the areas where the weather is dry, the acidic
    pollutants slip into dust or smoke and fall to the ground as dry particles

    These stick to the ground and other surfaces such as cars, houses, trees and buildings. Almost
    50% of the acidic pollutants in the atmosphere fall back through dry deposition. These acidic
    pollutants can be washed away from the earth surface by rainstorms. It was discovered way back
    in the 1800s during the Industrial Revolution. A Scottish chemist, Robert Angus Smith, was first
    to discover this phenomenon in 1852 as a relationship between acid rain and atmospheric
    pollution in Manchester, England.

    But it gained public attention mainly in the 1960s. The term was coined in 1972 when the NY
    Times published reports about the climate change effects which started arising due to the
    occurrence of acid rain in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire.
    Real-Life Examples
     Taj Mahal, one of the 7 wonders of the world, is largely affected by acid rain. The city of
    Agra has many industries which emit the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen in the atmosphere.
    People continue to use low-quality coal and firewood as a domestic fuel, adding to this
    problem. Acid rain has the following reaction with the marble (calcium carbonate):
    CaCO3 +  H2SO4 → CaSO4  + H2O + CO2 
    Statue of liberty which is made of copper has also been damaged by the cumulative action
    of acid rain & oxidation for over 30 years and is, therefore, becoming green.

    Causes of Acid Rain


    Both natural and man-made sources are known to play a role in the formation of acid rain. But, it
    is mainly caused by the combustion of fossil fuels which results in emissions of sulfur dioxide
    (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

    1. Natural Sources
    The major natural causal agent for acid rain is volcanic emissions. Volcanoes emit acid-
    producing gases to create higher than normal amounts of acid rain or any other form of
    precipitation such as fog and snow to an extent of affecting vegetation cover and health of
    residents within the surrounding.
    Decaying vegetation, wildfires and biological processes within the environment also generate
    acid rain forming gases. Dimethyl sulfide is a typical example of a major biological contributor
    to sulfur-containing elements into the atmosphere. Lighting strikes also naturally produce nitric
    oxides that react with water molecules via electrical activity to produce nitric acid, thereby
    forming acid rain.

    2. Man-made Sources
    Human activities leading to chemical gas emissions such as sulfur and nitrogen are the primary
    contributors to acid rain. The activities include air pollution sources emitting sulfur and nitrogen
    gases like factories, power generation facilities, and automobiles.

    In particular, the use of coal for electrical power generation is the biggest contributor to gaseous
    emissions leading to acid rain. Automobiles and factories also release high scores of gaseous
    emissions on a daily basis into the air, especially in highly industrialized areas and urban regions
    with large numbers of car traffic.
    These gases react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form various
    acidic compounds such as sulfuric acid, ammonium nitrate, and nitric acid. As a result, these
    areas experience exceedingly high amounts of acid rain. The existing winds blow these acidic
    compounds over large areas across borders and they fall back to the ground in the form of acid
    rain or other forms of precipitation. Upon reaching the earth, it flows across the surface, absorbs
    into the soil and enters into lakes and rivers and finally gets mixed up with seawater.

    The gases i.e. i.e. sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are primarily gases occurring
    from electric power generation by burning coal and responsible for acid rain.

    Effects of Acid Rain


    Acid rain has significant effects on the world environment and public health.

    1. Effect on Aquatic Environment


    Acid rain either falls directly on aquatic bodies or gets run off the forests, roads and fields to
    flow into streams, rivers and lakes. OvThe aquatic plants and animals need a particular pH level
    of about 4.8 to survive. If the pH level falls below that the conditions become hostile for the
    survival of aquatic life.er a period of time, acids get accumulated in the water and lower the
    overall pH of the water body.
    Acid rain tendency of altering pH and aluminum concentrations greatly affects pH concentration
    levels in surface water, thereby affecting fish as well as other aquatic life-forms. At pH levels
    below 5, most fish eggs cannot hatch. Lower pHs can also kill adult fish.

    Acid rain runoff from catchment areas into rivers and lakes has also reduced biodiversity as
    rivers and lakes become more acidic. Species including fish, plant and insect types in some lakes,
    rivers and brooks have been reduced and some even completely eliminated owing to excess acid
    rain flowing into the waters.

    2. Effect on Forests
    It makes trees vulnerable to disease, extreme weather, and insects by destroying their leaves,
    damaging the bark and arresting their growth. Forest damage due to acid rain is most evident in
    Eastern Europe – especially Germany, Poland and Switzerland.

    3. Effect on Soil
    Acid rain highly impacts on soil chemistry and biology. It means soil microbes and biological
    activity as well as soil chemical compositions such as soil pH are damaged or reversed due to the
    effects of acid rain.

    The soil needs to maintain an optimum pH level for the continuity of biological activity. When
    acid rains seep into the soil, it means higher soil pH, which damages or reverses soil biological
    and chemical activities. Hence, sensitive soil microorganisms that cannot adapt to changes in pH
    are killed.
    High soil acidity also denatures enzymes for the soil microbes. On the same breadth, hydrogen
    ions of acid rain leach away vital minerals and nutrients such as calcium and magnesium.

    4. Vegetation Cover and Plantations


    The damaging effects of acid rain on soil and high levels of dry depositions have endlessly
    damaged high altitude forests and vegetation cover since they are mostly encircled by acidic fogs
    and clouds. Besides, the widespread effects of acid rain on ecological harmony have lead to
    stunted growth and even death of some forests and vegetation cover.

    5. Effect on Architecture and Buildings


    Acid rain on buildings, especially those constructed with limestone, reacts with the minerals and
    corrode them away. This leaves the building weak and susceptible to decay. Modern buildings,
    cars, airplanes, steel bridges and pipes are all affected by acid rain. Irreplaceable damage can be
    caused to the old heritage buildings.

    6. Effect on Public Health


    When in the atmosphere, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases and their particulate matter
    derivatives like sulfates and nitrates, degrades visibility and can cause accidents, leading to
    injuries and deaths. Human health is not directly affected by acid rain because acid rainwater is
    too dilute to cause serious health problems.

    However, the dry depositions also known as gaseous particulates in the air which in this case are
    nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide can cause serious health problems when inhaled. Intensified
    levels of acid depositions in dry form in the air can cause lung and heart problems such as
    bronchitis and asthma.

    7. Other Effects
    Acid rain leads to weathering of buildings, corrosion of metals, and peeling of paints on surfaces.
    Buildings and structures made of marble and limestone are the ones especially damaged by acid
    rain due to the reactivity of the acids in the rain and the calcium compounds in the structures.

    The effects are commonly seen on statues, old gravestones, historic monuments, and damaged
    buildings. Acid rain also corrodes metals like steel, bronze, copper, and iron.

    THANK YOU

    NAME:PRERNA VORA
    ROLL NUMBER:779
    DIVISION: FYBCOM G

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