Acid Rain Ozone and its Reactions

Acid rain, also known as acid precipitation or acid deposition, is precipitation with a pH of 5.2 or even below caused mainly by human-induced emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides, primarily from fossil fuel combustion. 

In acid-sensitive environments, acid deposition can reduce biodiversity & lower the pH of surface waters. It weakens trees & makes them more susceptible to other stresses like drought, cold, and pests. Acid rain depletes the soil of critical plant nutrients and buffers, such as calcium and magnesium, in acid-sensitive locations. It can free aluminium in its lethal dissolved form, linked to soil particles and rock. Acid rain contributes to the corrosion of surfaces exposed to air pollution, harming limestone and marble buildings and monuments.

Acid Rain: Definition

Acid rain comprises highly acidic water droplets that form as a result of air pollution, particularly the disproportionate amounts of sulfur and nitrogen produced by cars and manufacturing operations. Because this idea encompasses a wide range of acidic precipitation, it is commonly referred to as acid rain.

Gasses that cause Acid Rain

Sulfur dioxide is one of the critical components of acid rain. Sulfur dioxide is oxidized to generate a sulfate ion when it reaches the environment. When it reacts with hydrogen atoms in the air & falls back to earth, it becomes sulfuric acid. Clouds undergo the most oxidation, especially in extremely polluted air, when additional molecules like ammonia & ozone help catalyze the reaction, transforming more sulfur dioxide into sulfuric acid. However, not all of the sulfur dioxide gets transformed. In fact, a large amount of sulfur dioxide can float into the sky, be transferred to another site, and then fall back to earth unconverted.

The other key components of acid rain are nitric oxide & nitric dioxide. These nitrogen oxides, like sulfur dioxide, ascend into the atmosphere and thus are oxidized to generate nitric acid in clouds. These processes are also catalyzed by iron, manganese, ammonia, & hydrogen peroxide in extremely contaminated clouds.

Gasses and tiny particles are carried into the atmosphere and interact with moisture and other pollutants to form dry & wet acid deposition. Wet deposition comes to earth as precipitation, which enters the water body directly, percolates through the soil, or runs off into surrounding bodies of water. Dry deposition accumulates on all dry surfaces over time and is carried to water bodies via runoff during rainy times or falls directly onto a surface of the water.

Effects of Acid Rain

Acid rain has a significant impact on the ecosystem and public health worldwide.

• Consequences for the Aquatic Environment

Acid rain sometimes falls directly on aquatic bodies or is washed into streams, rivers, and lakes by runoff from forests, highways, and farmland. Acids accumulate in the water over time, lowering the overall pH of the body of water.

To live, aquatic species require a pH level of around 4.8. If the pH falls below that, the environment becomes unfriendly to aquatic life’s survival.

• Forestry Impact

It kills the leaves, damages the bark, and stunts the growth of trees, making them prone to disease, harsh weather, and insects. Acid rain has wreaked havoc on forests in Eastern Europe, particularly Germany, Poland, and Switzerland.

• Soil Effects

Acid rain has a significant impact on the chemistry and biology of soils. It signifies that acid rain has harmed or reversed soil microorganisms and biological activity and soil chemical compositions such as soil pH.

The soil must maintain an optimal pH level for biological activity to continue. When acid rain seeps into the soil, it raises the pH, causing biological and chemical activity in the soil to be harmed or reversed. As a result, sensitive soil microorganisms that cannot adjust to pH fluctuations are killed.

• Plantations and Vegetation Cover

Because high-altitude forests & vegetation cover are encompassed mainly by acidic fogs and clouds, the harmful effects of acid rain on soil & high levels of dry depositions have continually harmed them. Furthermore, acid rain’s extensive impact on ecological equilibrium has resulted in stunted development, if not death, of some forests & vegetation cover.

• Impact on Buildings and Architecture

Acid rain combines with minerals in buildings, especially limestone ones, and corrupts them away. As a result, the structure is fragile and prone to disintegration—acid rain damages modern structures, automobiles, aeroplanes, steel bridges, and pipes. The old heritage structures may suffer irreversible damage.

• Public Health Impact

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gasses and their particulate matter derivatives such as sulfates and nitrates diminish visibility in the atmosphere and can cause accidents, resulting in injuries and deaths. Because acid rainwater is sufficiently diluted to create major health problems, it directly affects human health.

• Additional Effects

Acid rain causes building deterioration, metal corrosion, and paint flaking on surfaces. Because of the reactivity of the acids in the rain and the calcium compounds in the structures, buildings and structures composed of marble and limestone are particularly vulnerable to acid rain.

Conclusion

Acid Rain is a major and dangerous problem that currently afflicts our world. The combustion of various fuels, such as coal and fossil fuels, releases enormous amounts of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. When sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide react with water in the atmosphere, sulfuric acid & carbonic acid are generated. Acid rain harms the ecosystem by destroying the soil, killing plants, harming wildlife, and even harming humans. The harm it causes can lead to major problems, and it can even impact the lives of others around you. One approach to halting it is looking for cleaner energy sources, such as solar electricity and electric vehicles. Acid Rain may not appear to be a major problem, but it can inflict far more harm than you can realize.