ACID RAIN

BY Joel Emmanuel Jacob

What is acid rain?
 The term acid rain is commonly used to mean the deposition of
acidic components in rain water, snow, fog, dew or dry particles.
 The pH of pure rain water is 7. But the pH of normal rain water we
receive is 5.6.
 This is because rainwater absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide and
forms carbonic acid.
CO2 + H2O → H2CO3
 If the pH of rain water is less than 5.6, then it is termed as acid
rain.
 The lower the pH of rainwater, the more acidic it becomes.
 The sources of acid rain.
 The acidity in rain is a result of the reaction of primary air
pollutants, sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides, with the water in air
to form strongly acidic dry or moist secondary pollutants such as
sulphuric acid, ammonium nitrate and nitric acid.
 The main source of these pollutants are vehicle exhausts, coal
burning power plants, ore smelters and other industrial plants.
 The sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and suspended particles
released from these sources into the atmosphere are transported
high into the atmosphere by prevailing winds and during this trip
they form secondary pollutants and may remain in the atmosphere
for 2-14 days.
Continued……
The acid particles decend to the earts surface in two forms…

WET DESPOSITION-
is the process by which the secondary pollutants are
removed from the atmosphere as rain, snow, fog or cloud.
DRY DESPOSITION-
takes place when particles such as fly ash, sulphates,
nitrates and gases, are deposited on the earths surface.

 The gases can be converted into acids when they come into contact with
water. The resulting mixture of wet and dry deposition is called acid rain
or acid deposition.
 Effects of acid rain.
 Acid rain causes human respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and
asthma.
 It acidifies lakes and streams and contributes to damage of trees at
high elevations and many sensitive forest soils.
 It accelerates the decay of building materials and paints. It can also
leach toxic toxic metals like lead, copper from pipelines into
drinking water.
 Sulphates and nitrates contribute to visibility degradation and harm
public health.
 Acid deposition affects aquatic ecosystems.
 Acid rain damages the leaves of plants and trees and when the soil
pH fails below 5.1, it can harm forests and crops.
 Ways to reduce acid deposition.
 Controlling the emissions of the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen
from industries and power plants by using proper control
equipments and by framing stringent laws.
 Adopting much cleaner and affordable ways to produce electricity
such as wind energy, hydroelectric power, renewable energy
resources and burning natural gas in turbine.
 Removing nitrogen oxide from motor vehicular exhausts.
 Adding lime or phosphate fertilisers to neutralise acidified lakes.
 Educating the public about the reason for acid rain or acid
deposition and their ill effects on man and nature.
Laws made by CANADA to
reduce acid deposition.
THE END