Effects of Acid Rain on an Ecosystem
Author unknown
Acid rain is a widespread problem found all over the world. It is the result of
chemicals from burned fossil fuel mixing with moisture in the atmosphere and
falling to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, etc. Acid deposition is a more precise name
than acid rain because acid can fall to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, hail, and
anything else. It can also combine with dry particles and fall to the ground; therefore
it is called dry deposition whereas acid coming down in rain is called wet
deposition.
People have known about air pollution since the philosopher Seneca remarked on
Rome's polluted skies in AD 61. Even though people were aware of the problem they
ignored they it. Up until the last century people have ignored the problem of air
pollution including air pollution's most dangerous problem, acid rain. Acid rain is
devastating to the ecosystem and is one of the most pressing environmental issues
today.
Acid rain forms in the atmosphere from chemicals created by the burning of fossil
fuels. When coal and oil are burned they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and two nitric
oxides, nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) designated by the symbol NOX.
These dangerous chemicals come from the smoke that pours from factory chimneys
and exhaust from car tail pipes. Once released, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
react with other chemicals in the air, water vapor, and sunlight to produce sulfuric
and nitric acids, the acids in acid rain. The more sulfuric and nitric acids present, the
higher the acidity of the rain. On a 14 point scale, 7 being neutral, anything less than
7 is considered acidic and anything more is considered alkaline. Battery acid is
about 1 acidity and lemon juice is around 2 acidity. Regular rain is between 5 and 6
acidity. Acid rain is somewhere between 2 and 5.5. The worst case of acid rain ever
recorded was in Wheeling, West Virginia where the rain had an acidity of 2.2. These
levels of acidity seriously harm plants, trees, and all other life.
All over the world, acid levels are rising which endangers trees, lakes, streams,
drinking water supplies, monuments, and animal life. Basically everything is
effected by acid rain. Not only life is effected, but also buildings (such as national
monuments), roads, even metals on cars and bridges.
When acid rain occurs, it doesn't immediately effect acidity in lakes and streams.
The water dilutes the acid so only over a long period of time can the water become
too acidic. In the spring, something called acid shock can happen. Snow, that
contains acid, can build up and when it melts all the acid runs into the streams and
lakes at one time. When acid levels are too high it can kill small organisms like algae.
When the algae dies other bigger organisms that eat algae die from starvation. It is a
big chain reaction until all life is gone. Some lakes, i.e. the lakes in the Adirondack
Mountains of New York State have been stripped of all life because the acid levels
are too high. Acidic water that seeps into soil can also kill trees that are nearby.
Buildings are taking a toll from acid rain. The acid corrodes the stones and
cement. Some buildings have been permanently weakened beyond repair. There are
definitely many effects from acid rain, but the question is, how do we fix them?
Now that acid rain is widely acknowledged throughout the world, more and more
people are doing something about it. For example: In November 1990, President
George Bush signed the Clean Air Act, which had an annual cost of up to $25 billion.
It cut sulfur dioxide emissions by 10 million tons a year. It also cut nitrogen oxides
by 2 million tons a year. Europe agreed to cut sulfur dioxide emissions by 30% of
1980 levels, and a freeze (not increasing) on nitrogen oxide emissions at 1987
levels.
Now all factories are required to be outfitted with scrubbers, which cost $150
million each. They are very expensive to maintain, but they remove 95% of sulfur
dioxide after coal is burned. In scrubbers, poisonous gases are sprayed with a mix of
water and lime. Together the sulfur, water, and lime form a gray, gooey substance
called sludge.
Another solution to lake acidity is liming. Lime is very alkaline, so when poured
into lakes it cancels out the acidity. The problem with liming is that it is very
expensive and only temporarily reduces acidity.
Another solution is something called a catalytic converter, which is required on
all cars. The converter is mounted on the exhaust pipe forcing all exhaust to pass
through it. This converts nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxides, and unburned
hydrocarbons into a cleaner state.
As you can see, there are many attempts to clean our air, but the atmosphere is
still a long way from being clean. If attempts to clean our air continue, our rain may
return to normal and acidic lakes, over a period of time, would return to normal. But
if our attempts to clean up our own mess fail, we may cause ourselves to kill all our
natural resources, which would lead to the extinction of all life on this planet, even
humans.