THE ACID RAIN

Environmental Engineer Group

INTRODUCTION

ACID DEPOSITION
1. Dry deposition - Acidic gases and particles

2. Wet deposition - Acidic rain, fog and snow

THE ACID RAIN

What is Acid rain? - Acid rain is rain, snow or fog that is polluted by acid in the atmosphere and damages the environment.
ACID RAIN DROP

Acid Rain
(Acid Precipitation)

Any precipitation carrying dissolved acids from natural or man made causes. Examples; a. CO2 dissolves in H2O---------> Creates carbonic acid (H2CO3) b. Sulfur dioxide (from internal combustion) mixes with H2O ---------> Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) c. Nitrogen oxides (from internal combustion) mixes with H2O ---------> Nitric Acid (HNO3)

*Acid precipitation may have a pH as low as 3. Very Acidic! *Acids in the air may be carried thousands of miles from their source, polluting soil & water in pristine areas!

DAMAGES THE ENVIRONMENT

pH

pH
a number on a scale of 0 to 14 which shows how acid or alkaline a substance is Measure the amount of acid in a liquid like water

The Water Molecule

Formula of water = H20 H = hydrogen 2 = 2 hydrogen atoms O = oxygen.

http://www.miamisci.org/ph

Pour acid into water Pour base into water

give up H+ to water = acid give up OH- to water = base

http://www.miamisci.org/ph

Ph Substance

14.0 Sodium Hydroxide

13.0 Lye

12.4 Lime (Calcium hydroxide)

11.0 Ammonia

10.5 Milk of Magnesia

8.3 Baking Soda

7.4 Human Blood

Base

7.0
Pure Water

6.6
Milk

4.5
Tomato

4.0
Wine & Bee

3.0
Apple

2.2
Vinegar

2.0
Lemon Juice

1.0
Battery Acid

0
Hydrochloric Acid

Neutral

Acid

http://www.miamisci.org/ph

Ph Substance

14.0 Sodium Hydroxide

13.0 Lye

12.4 Lime (Calcium hydroxide)

11.0 Ammonia

10.5 Milk of Magnesia

8.3 Baking Soda

7.4 Human Blood

Base

7.0
Pure Water

6.6
Milk

4.5
Tomato

4.0
Wine & Bee

3.0
Apple

2.2
Vinegar

2.0
Lemon Juice

1.0
Battery Acid

0
Hydrochloric Acid

Neutral

Acid

http://www.miamisci.org/ph

 Normal rain = slightly acidic = 5.5 (carbon dioxide dissolves into it) In 2000, rain pH = 4.3 (in the US)
http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/acidrain

Sulphur dioxide (SO2)

Sulphur dioxide (SO2)

cause by natural phenomena and anthropogenic activities is soluble in water can be oxidised within airborne water droplets producing sulphuric acid

Comes From
combustion of fossil fuels oxidation of organic material in soils volcanic eruptions biomass burning

http://www.temis.nl/products/so2.html

Reaction
Sulphur dioxide is an acidic gas Easily be made by adding water SO2 (g) SO2 (aq) SO2 (aq) + H2O (l) H2SO3 (aq)
weakly dibasic acid http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/so2/so2h.htm

Nitrogen Oxide ( NOx )

The Combustion Of Fuels

Residential cars commercial furnaces Industrial electrical-utility boilers Engines other equipment

Canadas largest contributor of NOx

( 1998 )
7% 11% 3% T ransport i at on Indust al ri Sources E l ri U t l t es ect c i i i 53% Ot her 26% Fuel C om bust on i

http://www.ec.gc.ca/acidrain/acidfact.html

Americas largest contributor of NOx

( 1998 )
5% 5% 12% T ransprot i at on E l ri U t l t es ect c i i i Indust al ri Sources Fuel C om bust on 25% Ot her

53%

http://www.ec.gc.ca/acidrain/acidfact.html

the NOx emissions amount ( 1998 )

23.7 the NOx emissions amount
America

2.1 0 5 10 15 20 25

Canada

million

http://www.ec.gc.ca/acidrain/acidfact.html

Critical Load & Target Load

Critical Load: a measure of how much pollution an environment can tolerate Target Load: the amount of pollution that is considered achievable and politically acceptable

The amount of wet sulphate deposition (kg/ha/yr)

http://www.ec.gc.ca/acidrain/acidfact.html

Environmental Engineer
History of Acid Rain Major problem area

History of Acid Rain

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Originated during the 1730's Discovered in the 1950's Started being noticed in the 1960's 1984 Germany 1988 United Nations 2000

Major problem area

Major problem area

Canada British Columbia United States Central Europe Asia

Reference
Virtual Globe http://www.virtualglobe.org/en/info/env/03/aci d06.html The acid rain report http://www.angelfire.com/ks3/acidrainreport/hi story2.html Living Landscapes http://royal.okanagan.bc.ca/mpidwirn/atmosph ereandclimate/acidprecip.html#a