ACID RAIN

BY
Arnold Anthony
 CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. HOW DO WE MEASURE THE LEVEL OF ACID IN THE
PRECIPITATION?
3. CAUSES OF ACID RAIN
4. FORMATION OF ACID RAIN
5. EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN
6.THE PROBLEM !
7.PREVENTIVE MEASURES

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 INTRODUCTION
Acid Rain is the Precipitation that has a pH of
less than that of natural rainwater (which is
about 5.6due to dissolved carbon dioxide)
It is formed when Sulphur dioxides and nitrogen
oxides, as gases or fine particles in the
atmosphere, combine with water vapour and
precipitate as sulphuric acid or nitric acid in
rain, snow, or fog.

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HOW DO WE
MEASURE THE
LEVEL OF
ACID IN THE
PRECIPITATION?
 PH tests determine how much hydrogen ions in a litter of fluid, by using the pH scale we can
measure acidity or alkalinity. We do the same PH tests in our pools and hot tubs. The scale
runs from 0 to 14 with water having a neutral PH of 7. The greater the concentration of
hydrogen ions the lower the pH number, the more acidic based the water is; the lower the
concentration of hydrogen ions and the higher the pH number, the more alkaline based the
water is. So a pH greater than 7 tells us that it is an alkaline substance while a pH less than 7
indicates an acidic substance. One unit of pH change equals a 10 time change in the of
concentration of hydrogen ions. Normal rain and snow measure about PH 5.60.

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 CAUSES OF ACID RAIN

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 CAUSES OF
ACID RAIN

NATURAL HUMAN
SOURCES SOURCES

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 NATURAL SOURCES
• 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.
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 HUMAN SOURCES
The principal cause of acid rain is from human
sources:
• Industrial factories, power-generating, plants and
vehicles.
• Sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are released
during the fuel burning process (i.e.combustion)

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 FORMATION OF ACID RAIN

• When water vapour condenses, or as the rain falls,

they dissolve in the water to form sulphuric acid
(H2SO4) and nitric acid(HNO3).
• While the air in cleaned of the pollutants in this way, it
also causes precipitation to become acidic, forming
acid rain.
• Both sulphuric acid and nitric acid are soluble in water
and are the major acids present in acid rain. As this
forms and falls onto the Earth's surface, these strong
acids are also brought to the surface causing harmful
effects on the built and the natural environment.

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 Sulfur dioxide reacts with water to form sulfurous acid.
SO2(g) + H20(l) -> H2SO3(aq)

Substances in the upper atmosphere then catalyze the reaction between sulfurous acid
and oxygen to form sulfuric acid.
2H2SO3(aq) + O2(g) -> 2H2SO4 (aq)

Similarly, nitrogen dioxide reacts with water to form a mixture of nitric acid and nitrous
acid.
2NO2(g) + H2O(l) -> HNO3(aq) + HNO2(q)

Substances in the atmosphere then catalyze the reaction between nitrous acid and oxygen
causing the formation of more nitric acid.
2HNO2(aq) + 02(g) -> 2HNO3(ag)
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 ACID RAIN IS AN EXTREMELY
DESTRUCTIVE FORM OF
POLLUTION, AND THE ENVIRONMENT
SUFFERS FROM ITS
EFFECTS. FORESTS, TREES, LAKES,
ANIMALS, AND PLANTS
SUFFER FROM ACID RAIN.

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12
 EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN

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ADVERSE EFFECT OF ACID RAIN ON
PLANTS
• Causes yellowing of leaf tissue
(chlorosis).
• Direct effect on plant growth due to
toxification of soil.
• It takes away soil nutrients causing
stunted growth.
• Block stomatal pores of leaves.
• Electron transport system, biochemical
reactions dominated by pH are effected.
• Degradation Of Plant chlorophyll.

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ADVERSE EFFECT OF ACID RAIN ON
SOIL
• Acid rain damages soil biology and
chemistry
• Microbes not able to tolerate low pH
and die
• Upper fertile layer of soil is affect as
essential nutrient are leached away
from soil

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ADVERSE EFFECT OF ACID RAIN ON SURFACE WATER AND
AQUATIC ANIMALS

• Acid rain causes lower pH &high

aluminum conc. in surface water
that causes damages to fish and
aquatic animals.
• Biodiversity of water body is
reduced.
• Lakes, rivers are fragile
ecosystems where each species
depend on other to survive ,if one
disappears other too disappears.
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 ADVERSE EFFECT OF ACID RAIN ON HUMAN HEALTH
Physical acid rain itself is not harmful to
humans. Thus, rain that comes into contact with
your skin does not pose any health risks.
However, all the gases that form this rain
(nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and sulfur
trioxide), are harmful. If the small particles
within the gas are inhaled, namely sulfate and
nitrate.
• Respiratory problems, asthma, dry
coughs, headaches and throat
irritations can occur .
• Brain damage, kidney problems, and
Alzheimer’s disease has been linked
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EFFECT OF ACID RAIN ON BUILDINGS

• Causes extensive damage to

buildings, structural materials of
Acid Rain Effects on Sculptures
marble , limestone, slate etc.
• CaCO3+H2SO4->
CaSO4+H20+CO2
• In Greece and Italy invaluable stone
statues have been partially dissolved
by acid rain.
• Taj Mahal in Agra is also suffering
due to acid fumes from Mathura
refinery.
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 DETERIORATION OF TAJ MAHAL

• Taj, the seventh wonder of world

getting deteriorated because of
emissions of Mathura oil refinery
which lies 40 km away from Taj.
• The oil refinery emits 25-30 tones of
SO2 daily in spite of using low
sulphur fuels.

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 THE PROBLEM !
• Acid rain can travel long distances.
• Often it doesn't fall where the gas is produced. High chimneys disperse
(spread) the gases and winds blow them great distances before they dissolve
and fall to earth as rain.
• Eg. gases produced in England and Western Europe can result in acid rain in
Scotland and Scandinavia.
• People probably couldn't live without electricity!Therefore coal will
continue to be burnt. Also, electricity and energy are constantly being
overused.

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 PREVENTIVE MEASURES
• Clean combustion technologies
• Using pollution control equipments.
• Replacement of coal by natural gas or renewable energy
resources.
• Formulate the policy framework for reduction of sulfur
dioxide and other acid rain causing gas emissions.
• Support a set of subproject that promote cleaner
production, reduce acid rain and air pollution, improve
the environment.
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 • Use Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) to removes sulphur
dioxide from flue gas (waste gases).
• Fit catalytic converters to vehicle exhausts which
remove the nitrogen oxides.
• Use other sources of electricity (i.e.nuclear power, hydro-
electricity, wind energy, geothermal energy, and solar
energy).
• Liming Process can be used in which powdered
limestone/limewater added to water and soil to neutralize
acid.

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 THANK YOU

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