Causes and Effects of Acid Rain

By #13

Acid rain is defined as rainfall or other types of precipitation that has a pH level lower than 5.6. Although it looks, feels and tastes like clean rain it can be, and in some cases is, harmful. The primary causes of acid rain are sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides but there are many other causes including ammonium and carbon.
Acid rain has natural and artificial causes. The natural causes include the splitting of nitrogen compounds by the energy that is produced from lightning strikes, and sulfur dioxide released from volcanic eruptions. Out environment can easily handle these natural causes of the pollution. The artificial causes of pollution that occur from human activity account for 90% of sulfur and 95% of nitrogen emissions in eastern North America. These artificial causes include electricity generation, factories, motor vehicles, base- metal smelting and coal power plants. Another major cause of acid rain is livestock production. No matter where the pollution comes from, the gases can be carried in the atmosphere for hundreds of kilometers before they are converted to acid rain so even areas far away from the original cause will see the side effects.
The effects of acid rain and other forms of acidic precipitation seem to be endless. As the acidity of the water increases, plants and animal populations decrease and become extinct. At a pH level of 6.0 crustaceans, insects and plankton decline and disappear. When the pH falls below 5.0 the fish become extinct and mosses take over near the shores. Scientists have already found that in some fresh water lakes and streams acid rain has destroyed life. Acid rain also changes the protective waxy surface of leaves, which lowers their disease resistance. It can restrain plant germination and reproduction and increase soil weathering and removal of nutrients.
Acid rain also affects us personally. The food, water and air that we breathe may have come in contact with the pollution. In untreated water supplies the levels of toxic metals like aluminum, copper and mercury increases. Scientists believe there is a link between acid rain and respiration problems like asthma in children as well as increased illness and premature death from heart and lung disorders such as bronchitis. Acid rain also destroys our buildings and structures.
It is quite obvious that our actions of polluting the environment are slowly killing everything around us, including ourselves. If we are not careful we may find ourselves in too much trouble, and it may be too late to reverse the damage. I believe that if we work together and all take little steps like walking instead of driving and recycling and composting we can save our world.



What Cause’s acid rain? EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency 2010-04-17 http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_students/whatcauses.html

What is Acid Rain and What Causes it? Environmental Protection Agency 2010-04-17
http://www.policyalmanac.org/environment/archive/acid_rain.shtml

Acid Rain Wikipedia 2010-04-17 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_rain

Acid Rain FAQ’s Environment Canada 2010-04-17 http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/msc/as/acidfaq.html

Effects of Acid Rain – Human Health United States Environmental Protection Agency 2010-04-17 http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects/health.html

Health Effects of Acid Rain: Are There Any? Perspectives in Public Health 2010-04-17
http://rsh.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/107/4/139