PRIMARY CAUSES OF ACID RAIN

A. Man-made or Anthropogenic Causes of Acid Rain

Human activities leading to chemical gas emissions such as sulfur and nitrogen are the
primary contributors to acid rain. Factories, power generations facilities, and automobiles are
the chief emitters of sulfur and nitrogen gases. Use of coal for electrical power generation is the
biggest contributor to gaseous emissions leading to acid rain.

Automobiles and factories also release high scores of gaseous emissions on a daily
basis into the air, especially in highly industrialized areas and urban regions with large numbers
of car traffic. As a result, these areas experience exceedingly high amounts of acid rain. Let’s
look at the details.

1. Combustion of coal and oil

As stated earlier, the principal emissions accountable for acidic depositions in the atmosphere
are oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Combusting coal and oil emit loads of
these gases into the atmosphere. Once in the atmosphere, these compounds react with
atmospheric water molecules in the presence of sunlight to form mild sulfuric and nitric acids.

Coal and oil are burned to produce energy to power machinery and are also used for heating,
cooking, and lighting. The bottom line is, combustion of these substances releases the core
gases responsible for the formation of acid rain.

2. Power plants and manufacturing industries

Contemporary power plants use fuel to generate energy. In the process of energy
generation and combustions, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases are released into the
atmosphere. Manufacturing industries that manufacture cement, refine petroleum, process
plastics, produce chemical products and pharmaceuticals or those that produce metals such as
steel and aluminum release scores of NOx and SO2 gases into the atmosphere.

A much as these industries use technologies to reduce the emission of NOx and SO2
gases, the pollutants are released in small amounts but continuously for prolonged time periods
eventually leading to the formation of acid rain.

3. Automobiles and other vehicles

Another main source of NOx and SO2 emissions are the fuel combustion of trucks, cars,
airplanes, and buses. These automobiles release high levels of sulfur and nitrogen gaseous
emissions on a daily basis into the atmosphere, mainly in highly industrialized areas and urban
areas with large numbers of car traffic. Accordingly, these areas usually experience substantial
amounts of acid rains.
 The sulfur and nitrogen emissions can also be blown to other regions leading to acid rain
formation in other areas away from the emission sources. For instance, it is believed the acid
rain in Sweden is influenced by air pollution in Britain.

B. Natural causes of Acid Rain

Natural causes of acid rain are relatively small compared to those from anthropogenic
sources as discussed above. The following are the most common natural causes of acid rain.

1. Volcanic eruptions: The main natural causal agent for acid rain is volcanic emissions.
Volcanoes emit acid-producing gases, mainly sulfur, to create higher than normal amounts of
acid rain or any other form of precipitation such as fog or snow to an extent of affecting
vegetation cover and health of residents within the surrounding.

1. Decaying vegetation, wildfires, and biological processes: Decaying vegetation,

wildfires, and biological processes within the environment also generate the acid rain
forming gases. Dimethyl sulfide is a typical example of a major biological contributor
to sulfur-containing elements into the atmosphere.
2. Lightning: Lightning strikes naturally produce nitric oxides that react with water
molecules via electrical activity to produce nitric acid, thereby forming acid rain.
Lightning is the major natural source of NOx.

EarthEclipse. (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.eartheclipse.com/environment/primary-causes-of-acid-

rain.html