Contents
◆
Definition
Causes
◆
Formation
◆
Affected Areas
◆
Effects
◆
Preventive Measures
Definition of Acid
Rain
◆
Precipitation that has a pH of
less than that of natural
rainwater (which is about 5.6
due to dissolved carbon
dioxide).
◆
It is formed when
1. sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide
2. nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen
dioxide
gases in the atmosphere,
combine with water vapor
and precipitate as sulfuric
acid or nitric acid.
◆
This acidic precipitation then
falls to the earth as rain, snow,
or fog.
Formation of Sulfuric Acid
(H2SO4)
2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g)
SO3(g) + H2O(l) H2SO4(aq
)
Formation of Nitric Acid (HNO3)
2NO(g) + O2(g) 2NO2(g)
4NO2(g) + 2H2O(l) + O2(g)
4HNO3(aq)
ources of Acid Rain
◆ Natural Sources – Non-
anthropogenic
■
Emissions from volcanoes
and from biological
processes that occur on the
land, in wetlands, and in the
oceans contribute acid-
producing gases to the
atmosphere
■
Effects of acidic deposits
have been detected in
glacial ice thousands of
years old in remote parts of
the globe
Anthropogenic
Sources of
Acid Rain
◆
The principal cause of acid
rain is from human sources
■ Industrial factories, power-
generating plants and vehicles
■ Sulfur dioxide and oxides of
nitrogen are released during the
fuel burning process (i.e.
combustion)
■ Sulfur
dioxide u
t
account
s for
abo 90
% of all
acid
rainfall
MSN Encarta
Formation of Acid
Rain
Formation of Acid
Rain
◆When water vapor
condenses, or as the rain
falls, acidic gases dissolve
in the water to form
sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and
nitric acid (HNO3).
◆While the air in cleaned of
these acidic pollutants in
this way, the resulting
precipitation is acidic, and
it can have serious
negative effects.
Acidic Rain
Deposition
•
Acidic particles and vapors are deposited via
two processes
- wet and dry deposition.
•
Wet deposition is acid rain, the process by
which acids with a pH normally below 5.6
are removed from the atmosphere in rain,
snow, sleet or hail.
•
Dry deposition takes place when particles
such as fly ash, sulfates, nitrates, and
gases (such as SO2 and NO), are deposited
on, or absorbed onto, surfaces.
•
The gases can then be converted into
acids when they contact water.
Affected Areas
Canada and the USA
■
Acid rain is a problem in Eastern
Canada and the Northeastern USA
■
Large smelters in western Ontario
and steel processing plants in
Indiana, Ohio historically used
coal as a source of fuel
■
The sulfur dioxide produced was
carried eastward by the jet stream
■
Acid rain from power plants in
the Midwest United States has
also harmed the forests of
upstate New York and New
England.
■
In many areas water and soil
systems lack natural alkalinity
such as lime base cannot
neutralize acid
Affected
Areas Europe
and Asia
◆Industrial acid rain is a
substantial problem in
China, Eastern Europe
and Russia and areas
down-wind from them.
◆The effects of acid rain
can spread over a large
area, far from the source
of the pollution
Harmful Effects of Acid
Rain
◆Harmful to aquatic life
■ Increased acidity in water
bodies
■ Stops eggs of certain
organisms (e.g. fish) to stop
hatching
Changes population ratios
◆Affects the ecosystem
Effects of Vegetation
◆ Harmful to vegetation
■ Increased acidity in soil
■ Leaches nutrients from soil,
slowing plant growth
■ Leaches toxins from soil, poisoning
plants
■ Creates brown spots in
leaves of trees, impeding
photosynthesis
◆ Allows organisms to
infect through broken
leaves
Effects of
Acid Rain
on
Vegetation
http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/
bio270/clo ver_leaf_burns_pH2_30d.gif
MSN Encarta
Effects of Acid Rain
on Buildings and
Structures
◆ Marble is
particularly
susceptible
◆ Accelerates
weathering in metal
and stone structures
■ Eg. Parthenon in
Athens, Greece;
Taj Mahal in
Agra, India
MSN Encarta
http://www.lauraknauth.com/photos/france/thinker.
jp
Effects of Acid Rain
on Human
Health
◆ Affects human health
■ Respiratory problems, asthma,
dry coughs, headaches and
throat irritations
■ Leaching of toxins from the soil
by acid rain can be absorbed by
plants and animals. When
consumed, these toxins affect
humans severely.
■ Brain damage, kidney
problems, and Alzheimer's
disease has been linked to
people eating "toxic"
animals/plants.
Preventive Measures
◆Reduce amount of sulfur
dioxide and oxides of
nitrogen released into the
atmosphere
■ Use less energy (hence less fuel
burned)
■ Use cleaner fuels
■ Remove oxides of sulfur and
oxides of nitrogen before
releasing
◆Flue gas desulphurization
Catalytic Converters
Preventive Measures
◆Use cleaner fuels
■ Coal that contains less sulfur
■ "Washing" the coal to
reduce sulfur content
■ Natural Gas
Preventive Measures
◆ Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD)
■ Removes sulfur dioxide from
flue gas (waste gases)
■ Consists of a wet scrubber and a
reaction tower equipped with a fan
that extracts hot smoky stack
gases from a power plant into the
tower
■ Lime or limestone (calcium
carbonate) in slurry form is injected
into the tower to mix with the stack
gases and reacts with the sulphur
dioxide present
Preventive Measures
◆ (contin
ued)
■ Produces pH-
neutral
calcium
sulfate that is
physically
removed from
the scrubber
■ Sulfates can
be used for
industrial
purposes
Scrubber at work
MSN Encarta
Alkaline Scrubbers
Preventive Measures
◆Use sources other
than coal to generate
electricity
•
nuclear power
•
hydro-electricity
•
wind energy
•
geo
ther
mal
ene
rgy,
•
solar energy
◆Issue of cost
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/
Nuclear_Power_Plant_Cattenom.jpg
Reducing the effects of
Acid Rain
◆Liming
■ Powdered
limestone/limewate
r added to water
and soil to
neutralize acid
■ Used extensively in
Norway and
Sweden
■ Expensive,sho
r-term remedy
Problem Scenario
◆Suppose you worked in
the government. A
company wants to set up
a factory in your country.
It
would bring jobs, but it
would also bring about
pollution, which would
lead to acid rain. Would
you allow it? Justify your
answer.
