- ‘Photooxidation’ – slow process
- ‘Oxidation from Water’
- ‘NxOy’ Species and other Processes’ – very complicated process
- ‘Oxidation from Hydrogen Peroxide’
Similar to Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides rise into the atmosphere and are oxidized to form nitric acid. Nitrogen Oxides react with water to give out Nitric Acid. Or another method is when it starts when nitrogen and oxygen combine to form nitric oxide (NO). Then Nitric Oxide is reacts with atmospheric molecules to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which afterwards reacts with OH to form nitric acid (HNO3).
Acid Rain causes several problems around the world, which are as listed as below:
Soil – When acid rain falls on the soil it washes away the nutrients needed by the plants. It dissolves further toxic substances like mercury to pollute water or poison plants.
Trees – By falling on the soil, removes nutrients from the soil + slows down the growing process of trees. Also by falling on the tree the acid rain affects the ability of the tree to continue with its photosynthesis.
Agriculture – Most of the farms are not affected by the acid rain, as they are able to neutralize large amounts of acids. But farms located on mountains have thin soil levels and thus can’t take in large amounts of acids.
Surface Water – Acid Rain changes the pH level of the surface waters and damages them for the future. Today many lakes around the world have a pH level of 5 or less due to acid rain.
Plants and Animals – Plants and Animals have the most effect of Acid Rain as they are interlinked in the ecosystem. If we look at the Biological Concentration theory if the as the food chain moves on downward the level of acidity would greatly increase the animal in the last part of the food chain which are known as the carnivores would have such a great amount of acid in their body that they would die immediately. Acid Rain can also affect Human Health, as humans are also part of the food web. Not only will the food web be affected but due to the surface water getting too acidic the living creatures in the waters will also die.
Architecture – Acid Rain dissolves and damages structures of the buildings. This can be greatly costly and could damage our historical site. For example today the Taj Mahal is weakening due to Acid Rain.
The diagram below explains the basic process and some of the effects of Acid Rain on the environment which I have copied from Encarta website, which is listed in the bibliography on page 4.
Acid Rain can be brought down until a limit. Below I have listed the ways of preventing Acid Rain. The main aim while preventing Acid Rain is to try to reduce the amount of harmful gases being released in the air.
At Home – Use Electricity efficiently and avoid leaving the lights and air-conditioners when not at home/in the room.
Transportation – Use bike and legs more often to go to work. Use car-pool system, use alternative fuels, use public transport and check the car’s engine often.
Power Stations- Change to environmentally friendly ones like Solar powered or Hydro-Powered. Use low Sulphur coal, which would produce less Sulphur. But producing and burning low Sulphur coal is very expensive.
Industry – Build Environmentally Friendly industries, which release less amounts of harmful gases and build cars, which are also environmentally friendly. Otherwise provide catalytic converters, which remove pollutants from the waste air released.
If Acid Rain has to be prevented, the cost will obviously be high. This is one of the reasons why most of the governments are ignoring the issue of Acid Rain. And if nothing is done for long, it could even cost more money. The US spent 35 billion dollars just on paint damage from Acid Rain. Hence it can be seen from this that Acid Rain has both short and long-term effects.
Bangkok does suffer from Acid Rain in a way. This can be seen from the rain samples, which have been collected from 1996-2001, which showed the change in pH level from 6.4 to 5. Yet the acid rain in Bangkok has not been containing high concentration levels of acid but if nothing is done this will keep rising and will soon a serious problem. Thus the Pollution control department has taken the responsibility of going out in Bangkok and reducing the problem of acid rain totally. To find out myself whether Bangkok suffers from Acid rain, I would have to collect the rainwater several times and test it with litmus paper. If the acidity level is between 5-6 it is not a serious problem yet, but soon would be becoming a problem.
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