Acid rain - all types of meteorological precipitation - rain, snow, hail, fog, sleet - in which there is a decrease in the pH of rainfall due to air pollution by acid oxides, usually sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides

Acid rain is one of the terms that industrialization has brought to humanity.

First mentioned back in 1872, the concept became truly relevant only in the second half of the 20th century.

A certain level of acidity has any rainwater. But in the normal case, this indicator corresponds to a neutral pH level - 5.6-5.7 or slightly higher.

Prerequisites for increasing the acidity of atmospheric water arise when industrial enterprises emit large volumes of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. The most typical sources of such pollution are vehicle exhaust gases, metallurgical production and thermal power plants (CHP). Unfortunately, modern level The development of purification technologies does not allow filtering out nitrogen and sulfur compounds that result from the combustion of coal, peat, and other types of raw materials that are used in industry.

The effects of acid rain

1 Acid rain significantly increases the acidity of lakes, ponds, reservoirs, as a result of which their natural flora and fauna are gradually dying out. As a result of changes in the ecosystem of water bodies, they become swamped, clogged, and increased silt. In addition, as a result of such processes, water becomes unsuitable for human use. It increases the content of salts of heavy metals and various toxic compounds, which in a normal situation are absorbed by the microflora of the reservoir.

2 Acid rain leads to the degradation of forests, the extinction of plants. Particularly affected coniferous trees, as the slow renewal of foliage does not give them the opportunity to independently eliminate the effects of acid rain. Young forests are also very susceptible to such precipitation, the quality of which is rapidly declining. With constant exposure to water hyperacidity the trees are dying.

3 In the US and Europe, acid rain is one of the common causes of poor harvests, killing crops over vast areas. At the same time, the reason for such damage lies both in the direct impact that acid rain has on plants, and in violations of soil mineralization.

4 Acid rain causes irreparable damage to architectural monuments, buildings, structures. The action of such precipitation causes accelerated corrosion of metals, failure of mechanisms.

5 With the current acidity that acid rain has, in some cases it can cause direct harm to humans and animals. First of all, the people in the zones heightened danger suffering from diseases of the upper respiratory tract. However, the day is not so far away when saturation harmful substances in the atmosphere will reach a level at which sulfuric and nitrate acid will fall out in the form of precipitation enough high concentration. In such a situation, the threat to human health will be much higher.

It is almost impossible to deal with the precipitation itself. Falling out over vast areas, acid rain causes significant damage, and constructive solution this problem does not exist.

Another thing is that in the case of acid rain, it is critically necessary to deal not with the consequences, but with the causes of such a phenomenon. The search for alternative sources of energy production, environmentally friendly vehicles, new production technologies and technologies for cleaning emissions into the atmosphere are an incomplete list of what humanity must take care of so that the consequences do not become catastrophic.

Acid rain is one of the main threats of our time, resulting from economic activity person.

We have already touched on this topic in our material - ACID RAIN IS THE ENEMY TO ALL LIVES. In this material, we will give several precise definitions given to this phenomenon in respected dictionaries and encyclopedias.

Acid rain is...

Dictionary COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

Acid rain, a term used to describe the deposition of chemical pollutants in the form of both particulate matter and acid rain, hail, snow or fog. Cars, processes industrial production, the combustion of fossil fuels in power plants creates pollution mainly in the form of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons, which react with water and sunlight, forming at the same time weak sulfuric or nitric acid, ammonium salts, and also other mineral acids. All this is deposited on the ground, often at a great distance from the source of release, causing corrosion, death of trees, unwanted acidification of water and soil, and therefore a threat to human health. Acidity is usually measured on the pH scale. logarithmic system measuring the concentration of hydrogen ions. The range of values ​​is from 0 (maximum acidity) to 14 (maximum alkalinity). The pH value = 5.6 corresponds to pure water.

Countries of the world. Dictionary. 1998

Peoples and cultures. Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia

Acid rain, chemical pollution water resources, flora and fauna, caused by the emission of exhaust gases as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels. The acidity of rain, snow and fog increases due to the absorption of exhaust gases, predominantly. oxides of sulfur and nitrogen emitted by power plants, factories and by car. K. f. cause damage to human health, causing bronchial diseases, destroy buildings made of limestone, increase the acidity of lakes and rivers, which is fatal for fish, animals, vegetation cover and forests. Acidic waters are also dangerous because they contain harmful metals, such as cadmium and mercury, which are usually retained in the soil. For the first time, the alarm regarding the impact of K. was sounded in Sweden in the 1960s; from them, of course, suffered, which means that part forest areas Europe, ch.ob. Central., as well as S., V. and S.-V. USA and Japan. In 1984, pl. countries signed a protocol to the Geneva Convention on the Control of Air Pollution (1979), agreeing to reduce sulfur emissions, although the most notorious air polluters - Great Britain, the USA, Poland and Spain - did not put their signatures on this document. Significant reductions in sulfur emissions require the reconstruction or closure of coal-fired power plants. Reducing nitric oxide levels can be achieved by reducing the life and speed of car and truck engines, as well as equipping them with catalytic converters that remove most this gas (and the hydrocarbon contributing to education) from car exhaust; since 1992, the installation of catalytic converters has been mandatory in European countries; in the USA they have been widely used for air pollution control since the 1970s.

Peoples and cultures. Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia. - M.: Infra-M. Edited by R. Hoggart. 2002

ACID RAIN (acid rain), characterized by high content acids (mainly sulfuric); pH value pH<4,5. Образуются при взаимодействии атмосферной влаги с транспортно-промышленными выбросами (главным образом серы диоксид, а также азота оксиды и др.). Вредно действуют на здоровье людей, растительный и животный мир, сооружения и конструкции; закисляют почвы и водоемы. Распространены в промышленных районах США, стран Западной Европы, России и др. Кислотные загрязнения могут содержаться в других атмосферных осадках (снег, град и т.п.).

Modern encyclopedia. 2000

Ecological dictionary

Acid rain is rain caused by atmospheric pollution with sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). They have a biocidal effect, in particular, the death of fish (for example, in the water bodies of Scandinavia due to the transfer of gas emissions in the industrial cities of England).

Ecological dictionary. - Alma-Ata: "Science". B.A. Bykov. 1983

Geography. Modern Illustrated Encyclopedia

Acid rain is one of the types of intense environmental pollution, which is the precipitation of drops of sulfuric and nitric acids with rain, resulting from the reaction of sulfur and nitrogen oxides emitted into the air by industrial enterprises and transport, with water droplets in the atmosphere. Acid droplets can be carried by air currents over long distances before falling out in acid rain. Acid rains cause great damage to forests, water bodies, crops, buildings, etc., and also adversely affect human health. The heaviest acid rain falls in and near the most developed industrial regions of the world. In 1984, in the Black Forest (Germany), about half of the trees in the forests were damaged by acid rain. Also, significant damage to forest areas is noted in the northeastern states of the United States and in Eastern Canada. To overcome the adverse effects of acid rain, national and international regulations are being set to reduce nitrogen and sulfur emissions into the atmosphere.

Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Edited by Professor A.P. Gorkin. 2006

As we can see from the above definitions, acid rain is not a local problem of individual industrial regions of our planet. The damage caused by such rains is global in nature and requires appropriate global solutions. To be more precise - active global solutions, since such damage is often irreparable / irreparable.

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Their causes and consequences are topical environmental problems that cause serious concern for any sane person. Find out why they fall out, as well as what danger they are fraught with.

What is acid rain

Considering the most pressing global environmental problems, many scientists note the formation of acid rain. And in order to assess the consequences of their impact, it is worth first to delve into the essence of the phenomenon. Normally, the acidity of any precipitation should be in the range of 5.6-5.8 pH. In this case, water is a slightly acidic solution that does not cause any consequences and does not affect the environment.

If the acidity of precipitation for any reason increases, then they become acidic. This term was coined by Scottish-born chemist Robert Angus Smith in the second half of the 19th century. The problem of acid rain was identified even at that distant time, but today it is the most relevant and acute.

Normally, precipitation that periodically falls should have a slightly acidic environment. This is due to the fact that the natural elements that make up the atmosphere (for example, carbon dioxide) react with water, resulting in the formation of a small amount of carbonic acid. The mechanism of acid rain formation is associated with pollutants that penetrate into the lower atmospheric layers and linger in them.

The main component of precipitation with high acidity, as studies have shown, is sulfur oxide. In the atmosphere, as a result of a photochemical oxidative reaction, a certain part of it is transformed into sulfuric anhydride, and it, in turn, in contact with water vapor, turns into sulfuric acid. From the rest of the sulfur oxide, sulfurous acid is obtained, which, oxidizing at high humidity, gradually becomes sulfuric.

Another common constituent is nitric oxide, which also reacts with water to form acids.

An interesting fact: if you want to find out what acid rain looks like, you probably won’t be able to distinguish it from ordinary rain. Increased acidity does not manifest itself in any way and does not change the appearance of precipitation.

Why does acid rain occur?

The causes of acid rain are numerous and the main ones are listed below:

• The main reason is the emissions of vehicles running on gasoline. As a result of fuel combustion, vapors rush into the atmosphere and, reacting with water, significantly increase the acidity of precipitation.
• Operation of thermal power plants. During the combustion of various types of fuel used to release heat, there are constant emissions of harmful substances into the atmospheric layers.
• Acid rainfall is associated with active mining, processing and use of minerals such as coal, ore, gas and others. They have been used by mankind for quite a long time, and few people think about the dangers of fuel combustion, due to which a large amount of carbon dioxide and various pollutants are released.
• Among the reasons for the formation of acid rain, one can also note natural, that is, not dependent on humans, but associated with natural phenomena and processes. So, during the period of volcanic eruptions, many compounds are released and released into the atmosphere, for example, sulfur oxides, sulfates, hydrogen sulfide. Also, emissions are caused by lightning discharges and the activity of microorganisms living in the soil.
• Another reason for the appearance of precipitation with high acidity is the decay of the corpses of animals and plants. During these processes, nitrogen- and sulfur-containing compounds arise, which, getting into the atmospheric layers and reacting with moisture, turn into acids.
• Among the causes of acid rain, it is necessary to single out the activities of various industrial and processing enterprises involved in the processing of metals, the production of metal parts, and mechanical engineering. Many factories and factories do not use treatment and filtering facilities, so harmful emissions enter the environment and greatly pollute it.
• Another reason why acid rain is formed is the active use by people of various aerosols and sprays, which include hydrogen chloride and other equally harmful compounds.
• Also, the cause of acid rain is the leakage of freon from refrigeration equipment and air conditioners.
• Precipitation with high acidity causes the production of some building materials.
• Fertilizing the soil, especially with toxic compounds, for example, nitrogen-containing ones.

Real Threats

What are the negative effects of acid rain, what harm does it cause? This is a real environmental problem that poses a real threat to the entire ecosystem, the environment and humans.

Consider the main effects of acid rain:

• Acid rain causes great damage to the plant world. Firstly, such precipitation damages foliage and stems. Secondly, penetrating into the soil, they change its composition, making the soil poor, infertile or even toxic.
• The negative impact of acid rain on the environment extends to water bodies: sedimentary water enters them and accumulates, changing the natural composition. As a result, the environment changes and becomes unsuitable for the life of various aquatic life, including fish.
• Another area of ​​harm from acid rain is the destruction of buildings, monuments, and architectural structures. Acids, falling on materials, gradually destroy and literally corrode them.
• Acid rain is also very dangerous for humans. Although the concentration of acids, as a rule, does not reach such a level as to corrode the skin, there are still negative effects. So, such precipitation can cause severe allergic reactions, which are caused by the ingestion of harmful compounds. And some scientists believe that with prolonged exposure to precipitation with high acidity, cancer can occur.
• The negative impact of acid rain affects the animal world. The acids included in the composition can affect the coat, as well as penetrate the plants consumed by some animals. Often such exposure leads to death, but mutations are possible.

How to solve the problem

Rain with a high acid content, which appears from time to time, is primarily the result of human activity. Therefore, humanity must solve the problem. To reduce the amount of precipitation with high acidity, you should reconsider your attitude to the environment and life on the planet.

Change the situation for the better will allow such measures as the introduction of cleaning systems and installation of filtering equipment in factories and factories, reducing the amount of fuel used and the development of alternative energy sources, the rejection of toxic fertilizers.

Useful advice: to protect yourself from the negative effects of precipitation, you should use an umbrella or raincoat in rainy weather and avoid getting drops on exposed skin. In this case, the rain will not harm you.

The problem of precipitation with high acidity is very urgent and requires a comprehensive solution. We need to act together and in several directions.

Acid rain was first recorded in Western Europe, in particular Scandinavia, and North America in the 1950s. Now this problem exists throughout the industrial world and has acquired particular importance in connection with the increased technogenic emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides. Within a few decades, the scale of this disaster became so wide, and the negative consequences were so great, that in 1982 a special international conference on acid rain was held in Stockholm, which was attended by representatives of 20 countries and a number of international organizations. Until now, the severity of this problem remains, it is constantly in the focus of attention of national governments and international environmental organizations. On average, the acidity of precipitation, which falls mainly in the form of rain in Western Europe and North America, covers an area of ​​almost 10 million square meters. km, is 5-4.5, and fogs here often have a pH of 3-2.5. In recent years, acid rain has been observed in industrial areas of Asia, Latin America and Africa. For example, in the Eastern Transvaal (South Africa), where 4/5 of the country's electricity is generated, per 1 sq. km falls about 60 tons of sulfur per year in the form of acid precipitation. In tropical regions, where industry is practically undeveloped, acid precipitation is caused by the release of nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere due to the burning of biomass.

A specific feature of acid rain is its transboundary nature, due to the transfer of acid-forming emissions by air currents over long distances - hundreds and even thousands of kilometers. This is largely facilitated by the once adopted "policy of high pipes" as an effective means of combating surface air pollution. Almost all countries simultaneously are "exporters" of their own and "importers" of foreign emissions. The "wet" part of the emissions (aerosols) is exported, the dry part of the pollution falls in the immediate vicinity of the emission source or at a small distance from it.

Exchange acid-forming and other air pollutant emissions are typical for all countries of Western Europe and North America. Great Britain, Germany, France send more oxidized sulfur to their neighbors than they receive from them. Norway, Sweden, Finland receive more oxidized sulfur from their neighbors than they release through their own borders (up to 70% of acid rain in these countries is the result of "export" from the UK and Germany). The transboundary transport of acid rain is one of the reasons for the conflict between the US and Canada.

Acid rain and its causes

The term "acid rain" refers to all types of meteorological precipitation - rain, snow, hail, fog, sleet - whose pH is less than the average pH of rainwater (the average pH for rainwater is 5.6). Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) released during human activity are transformed into acid-forming particles in the earth's atmosphere. These particles react with atmospheric water, turning it into acid solutions, which lower the pH of rainwater. The term "acid rain" was first introduced in 1872 by the English explorer Angus Smith. His attention was drawn to the Victorian smog in Manchester. And although scientists of that time rejected the theory of the existence of acid rain, today no one doubts that acid rain is one of the reasons for the death of life in reservoirs, forests, crops, and vegetation. In addition, acid rain destroys buildings and cultural monuments, pipelines, renders cars unusable, reduces soil fertility and can lead to seepage of toxic metals into aquifers.

Normal rain water is also a slightly acidic solution. This is due to the fact that natural substances in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), react with rainwater. This produces weak carbonic acid (CO2 + H2O = H2CO3). While ideally the pH of rainwater is 5.6-5.7, in real life the acidity of rainwater in one area may differ from the acidity of rainwater in another area. This primarily depends on the composition of gases contained in the atmosphere of a particular area, such as sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxides.

Chemical analysis of acid precipitation shows the presence of sulfuric (H2SO4) and nitric (HNO3) acids. The presence of sulfur and nitrogen in these formulas indicates that the problem is related to the release of these elements into the atmosphere. When fuel is burned, sulfur dioxide enters the air, atmospheric nitrogen also reacts with atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen oxides are formed.

As already mentioned, any rainwater has a certain level of acidity. But in the normal case, this indicator corresponds to a neutral pH level - 5.6-5.7 or slightly higher. A slight acidity is due to the content of carbon dioxide in the air, but it is considered so low that it does not cause any harm to living organisms. Thus, the causes of acid rain are associated exclusively with human activities, and cannot be explained by natural causes.

Prerequisites for increasing the acidity of atmospheric water arise when industrial enterprises emit large volumes of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. The most typical sources of such pollution are vehicle exhaust gases, metallurgical production and thermal power plants (CHP). Unfortunately, the current level of development of purification technologies does not allow filtering out nitrogen and sulfur compounds that result from the combustion of coal, peat, and other types of raw materials that are used in industry. As a result, such oxides enter the atmosphere, combine with water as a result of reactions under the action of sunlight, and fall to the ground in the form of precipitation, which is called "acid rain".

Acid rain is a serious environmental problem, and its cause can be called universal environmental pollution. Frequent acid rains cause concern not only for scientists, but also for ordinary people, since such types of precipitation have a negative impact on health.

Acid rain is characterized by a low pH. Ordinary precipitation has a level of this indicator of 5.6. It should be noted that even with small deviations from the norm, the consequences for living organisms can be serious.

With significant shifts, a reduced level of acidity can cause the death of fish, as well as many insects and even amphibians. In addition, in areas where acid precipitation occurs, the presence of acid burns on the foliage of trees is sometimes noticed, and some plants even die off. The negative impact after acid rain has fallen can be felt by many people. Following such a downpour, accumulation of toxic gases in the atmosphere can occur, and it is extremely undesirable to breathe such a gas-air mass. The consequences will not be long in coming, even with a short walk during such precipitation, cardiovascular, bronchopulmonary diseases, and asthma may occur.

Can acid rain alone pose a threat?

The problem of acid rain has become more global in recent decades, so all the inhabitants of the Earth would do well to think about their role - positive or negative - in this natural phenomenon. You should know that most of the harmful substances that enter the air are a product of human life and practically do not disappear anywhere. Most of them remain in the atmosphere and will one day return to earth along with precipitation. And the very impact of acid rain is so serious that in some cases it may take more than one hundred years to eliminate the consequences.

In order to become more familiar with the possible consequences of acid rain, it is desirable to understand what the concept itself carries. Most scientists unanimously believe that such a formulation can be considered too narrow in order to capture the full potential of a global problem. One should not study exclusively rains, one should also pay attention to acid hail, fog and snowfall, which also belong to carriers of harmful substances and compounds, because their formation is mostly identical in terms of process. It should not be forgotten that with stable dry weather, toxic gases or dust clouds, or both, may appear. But these formations also belong to acid precipitation.

Causes of acid rain

Causes of acid rain are by and large directly dependent on the human factor. The constant pollution of the atmosphere with the use of acid-forming compounds (such as sulfur oxide, hydrogen chloride, nitrogen, etc.) leads to an imbalance. The most important producers of such substances are, of course, large industrial enterprises, for example, metallurgical, oil refineries, thermal power plants that burn coal or fuel oil. Despite filters and purification systems, modern technology has not yet reached the level that would allow to completely eliminate not only negative impacts, but also industrial waste itself.

In addition, there has been an increase in acid rain associated with the growth of vehicles on the planet. A large amount of exhaust gases, although in small doses, still contributes to the appearance of harmful acidic compounds. And if you recalculate the total number of vehicles, then the degree of pollution, one might say, has reached a critical level. In addition to all of the above, many household items also contribute, for example, aerosols, cleaners / detergents, etc.

Another cause of acid rain, apart from the human factor, may be some natural processes. In particular, volcanic activity can lead to their occurrence, during which a large amount of sulfur is ejected. Moreover, it is involved in the formation of gaseous compounds in the process of decomposition of individual organic substances, which in turn also leads to air pollution.

Mechanism of acid rain formation

All harmful substances that have been released into the atmosphere begin to react with elements of solar energy, carbon dioxide or water, resulting in the formation of acidic compounds. Together with the evaporation of moisture, they rise into the atmosphere, after which clouds form. Thus, the formation of acid rain occurs, the formation of snowflakes or hailstones, which will return to the earth everything that they have absorbed, along with other chemicals.

In some regions of the Earth, some deviations from the norm within 2-3 units were noted. So, with an acceptable acidity level of pH 5.6, in the Moscow region and China there were cases of precipitation with a pH level of 2.15. It is not possible to predict the exact location of acid rain, as it is possible that the clouds that have formed can be blown away by the wind for long distances from where the pollution occurred.

Composition of acid rain

The main components of acid rain are sulfuric and sulphurous acids, as well as the presence of ozone produced during thunderstorms. There are also nitrogen types of precipitation, in which nitric and nitrous acids are present as the main ones. Rarely, chlorine and methane can be the causes of acid rain. And, of course, other harmful substances may fall out with precipitation, based on what was in the composition of household and industrial waste emitted into the atmosphere in specific regions.

Why is acid rain dangerous?

Acid rains, together with their consequences, are the subject of constant observations, which are carried out by scientists from all countries. However, their forecasts are extremely disappointing. Precipitation, in which the pH level is lowered, poses a danger not only to people, but also to flora and fauna.

When it hits the ground, acid rain damages plants by depriving them of the nutrients they need to grow and develop. Among other things, toxic metals are drawn to the surface. With a high concentration of acids, trees can die due to precipitation, the soil becomes unusable for further crop cultivation, and it will take decades to restore it.

The same situation is with reservoirs. The composition of acid rain leads to an imbalance in the natural environment, after which the problem of river pollution arises. This, in turn, leads to the death of fish, and also slows down the growth of algae. Consequently, entire bodies of water, lakes and rivers may cease to exist for a long time.

Before hitting the ground, acid rain, passing by air masses, leaves particles of toxic substances in the atmosphere. This is considered extremely unfavorable, because it negatively affects the health of people and animals, and also significantly damages buildings. So most paint and varnish and facing materials, metal structures begin to dissolve as soon as drops of the ill-fated rain fall on them.

Global Environmental Issues of Acid Rain

Among the global environmental problems caused by acid rainfall can be:

• Changes in the ecosystem of water bodies that led to the death of flora and fauna. It will be impossible to use such sources for drinking, because heavy metals will exceed the norm many times over;
• Damage to the roots and leaves will lead to the destruction of protection against cold and disease. This is especially true for coniferous trees in severe frosts;
• Soil contamination with toxins. The plant world, located on the contaminated areas of the soil, will certainly weaken or die. Harmful elements will come along with useful substances, which will be less and less.

Harm of acid rain to people

The death of domestic animals, commercial fish species, crops - all this will, to one degree or another, affect the quality of life and the economy of any state.

Fish or animal meat can be hazardous to health when eaten in precisely those places where acid poisoning has occurred. Such meat may contain a critical content of toxic compounds or heavy metal ions. If it enters human bodies, it can lead to severe intoxication, serious liver or kidney disease, blockage of nerve channels, and the formation of blood clots. Some of the effects of acid poisoning may take generations to appear.

Ways to deal with acid precipitation

Today, the United States, China, and, of course, Russia are leading the main risk group for acid precipitation. Actually, in these states, the coal processing and metallurgical industries are highly developed and, accordingly, there are a large number of such enterprises. However, both Canada and Japan are considered dangerous, in the direction of which acid precipitation can be driven by the wind. According to some studies, if preventive measures are not taken, the list of such states may be replenished with many more candidates, and this will not have to wait long.

Fighting acid rain at the local level is almost useless. In order for the situation to change for the better, comprehensive measures must be taken. And they are possible only with the simultaneous and coordinated actions of many countries. Academic science is trying to find new purification systems to minimize emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, however, the percentage component of acid precipitation is only growing.

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