Causes of acid precipitation. Acid precipitation: causes of formation

AT recent times due to general deterioration environmental situation On our planet, more and more often happens such an unpleasant environmental phenomenon as acid rain. emergence acid rain occurs due to the interaction of air and water in the upper atmosphere with various pollution.

History of acid rain

The first acid rain in history was recorded back in 1872, just in the era of the heyday of industrialization, the mass construction of factories and factories. Needless to say, by the 20th century, this phenomenon had become many times more frequent and, of course, we inherited the inhabitants of the 21st century.

Causes of acid rain

What are the causes of acid rain? Ecologists divide them into anthropogenic and natural. Anthropogenic causes of acid rain associated with human action, these include:

• Emissions from plants and factories of various oxides of nitrogen and sulfur. Once in the atmosphere, they interact with water vapor, resulting in the formation of sulfuric acid, which falls out in such acid rains.
• Exhaust gases, another source of atmospheric pollution, are also another cause of acid rain.

The natural causes of acid rain are not related to human activity, as a rule, they occur as a result of volcanic eruptions, then also enters the atmosphere a large number of nitrogen-containing substances, when interacting with which nitric acid is formed, which precipitates with acid rain.

The effects of acid rain

What are the effects of acid rain? There are many negative consequences:

• destruction of agricultural crops
• water pollution,
• deforestation,
• diseases in people.

Contact with acid rain increases the risk of diseases such as asthma, allergies, oncological diseases. Acid rain pollutes rivers and lakes, making water unusable, which can kill huge populations of fish. Acid rain pollutes the soil and loses its fertility, as a result, the crop decreases. Plants also suffer from them, leaves fall off trees and the development of roots is inhibited, plants become sensitive to temperature changes.

Ways to solve the problem of acid rain

The main step in solving environmental problem acid rain, as well as the problem is to reduce the emission of harmful industrial waste, the use of cleaning filters in plants and factories. And in the future, the creation of environmentally friendly industries, in general, everything modern technologies should be implemented only after assessing their impact on environment.

The gradual transition to green electric vehicles will also be a step towards overcoming the problem of acid rain. The first such Tesla cars are already slowly gaining popularity, and we really want to believe that in the future they will become ubiquitous, and gasoline cars will become history, like the old steam trains did.

Acid rain video

And finally, a small educational video about acid rain.

Acid phrases in modern, especially urban life have become commonplace. Summer residents often complain that after such unpleasant precipitation, the plants begin to wither, and a whitish or yellowish coating appears in the puddles.

What it is

Science has a definite answer to the question of what acid rain is. These are all known whose water is below normal. pH 7 is considered the norm. If the study shows an underestimation of this figure in precipitation, they are considered acidic. In the context of an ever-increasing industrial boom, the acidity of rain, snow, fog and hail is hundreds of times higher than normal.

The reasons

Acid rain falls again and again. The reasons lie in toxic emissions industrial facilities, exhaust gases of cars, to a much lesser extent - in the decay of natural elements. The atmosphere is filled with sulfur and nitric oxides, hydrogen chloride and other compounds that form acids. The result is acid rain.

There are precipitation and alkaline content. They contain calcium or ammonia ions. The concept of "acid rain" also fits them. This is explained by the fact that, getting into a reservoir or soil, such precipitation affects the change in the water-alkaline balance.

What causes acid precipitation

No good oxidation surrounding nature, of course, does not. Acid rain is extremely harmful. The reasons for the death of vegetation after the fall of such precipitation lie in the fact that many useful elements are leached from the earth by acids, in addition, pollution by hazardous metals is also observed: aluminum, lead and others. Polluted sediments cause mutations and death of fish in water bodies, improper development of vegetation in rivers and lakes. For normal environment they also have a detrimental effect: to a large extent contribute to the destruction of natural facing materials, cause accelerated corrosion of metal structures.

Having become acquainted with common characteristic of this atmospheric phenomenon, it can be concluded that the problem of acid rain is one of the most urgent from the point of view of ecology.

Scientific research

It is important to dwell in more detail on the scheme of chemical pollution of nature. Acid rain is the cause of many environmental disturbances. Such a characteristic of precipitation appeared in the second half of the 19th century, when a British chemist R. Smith identified the content of hazardous substances in vapors and smoke, which greatly change the chemical picture of precipitation. In addition, acid rain is a phenomenon that spreads over vast areas, regardless of the source of pollution. The scientist also noted the destruction that the contaminated sediments entailed: plant diseases, loss of color in tissues, accelerated spread of rust, and others.

Experts are more precise in their definition of what acid rain is. Indeed, in reality it is snow, fogs, clouds and hail. Dry precipitation with a lack of atmospheric moisture falls in the form of dust and gas.

on nature

Lakes are dying, the number of fish shoals is decreasing, forests are disappearing - all these are terrible consequences of the oxidation of nature. Soils in forests are not nearly as sensitive to acidification as bodies of water, but plants perceive all changes in acidity very negatively. Like an aerosol, harmful precipitation envelops foliage and needles, impregnates trunks, and penetrates the soil. Vegetation receives chemical burns, gradually weakening and losing the ability to survive. Soils lose their fertility and saturate growing crops with toxic compounds.

biological resources

When a study of lakes in Germany was carried out, it was found that in reservoirs where the water index deviated significantly from the norm, the fish disappeared. Only in some lakes single specimens were caught.

Historical heritage

Seemingly invulnerable human creations also suffer from acid rain. The ancient Acropolis, located in Greece, is known throughout the world for the outlines of its mighty marble statues. Ages do not spare natural materials: noble rock is destroyed by winds and rains, the formation of acid rain further activates this process. Restoring historical masterpieces, modern masters did not take measures to protect metal joints from rust. The result is that acid rain, by oxidizing the iron, causes large cracks in the statues, the marble cracks due to the pressure of rust.

cultural monuments

The United Nations has initiated studies on the effects of acid rain on cultural heritage sites. They proved negative consequences the effects of rain on the most beautiful stained-glass windows of cities Western Europe. Thousands of colored glasses are at risk of sinking into oblivion. Until the twentieth century, they delighted people with their strength and originality, but recent decades, clouded by acid rain, threaten to destroy the magnificent stained glass paintings. Dust saturated with sulfur destroys antique leather and paper items. Ancient items under influence lose their resistance ability atmospheric phenomena, become brittle and soon crumble to dust.

Ecological catastrophy

Acid rain is a serious problem for the survival of mankind. Unfortunately the reality modern life need more expansion industrial production, which increases the volume of poisonous The population of the planet is increasing, the standard of living is rising, there are more and more cars, energy consumption is going through the roof. At the same time, only CHP Russian Federation every year pollute the environment with millions of tons of anhydride containing sulfur.

Acid rain and ozone holes

Ozone holes are no less common and cause more serious concern. Explaining the essence of this phenomenon, it must be said that this is not a real rupture of the atmospheric shell, but a violation in the thickness of the ozone layer, which is located approximately 8-15 km from the Earth and extends into the stratosphere up to 50 km. The accumulation of ozone largely absorbs harmful radiation solar ultraviolet, protecting the planet from the strongest radiation. That is why ozone holes and acid rain are threats to the normal life of the planet, requiring the closest attention.

The integrity of the ozone layer

The beginning of the 20th century added chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to the list of human inventions. Their feature was exceptional stability, no smell, incombustibility, no toxic effect. CFCs gradually began to be introduced everywhere into the production of various cooling units (from cars to medical complexes), fire extinguishers, and household aerosols.

Only by the end of the second half of the twentieth century, chemists Sherwood Roland and Mario Molina suggested that these miracle substances, otherwise called freons, strongly affect ozone layer. At the same time, CFCs can “hover” in the air for decades. Gradually rising from the ground, they reach the stratosphere, where ultraviolet radiation destroys freon compounds, releasing chlorine atoms. As a result of this process, ozone is converted into oxygen much faster than in normal natural conditions.

The terrible thing is that only a few chlorine atoms are required to modify hundreds of thousands of ozone molecules. In addition, chlorofluorocarbons are considered gases that create Greenhouse effect and involved in the process global warming. In fairness, it should be added that nature itself also contributes to the destruction of the ozone layer. Thus, volcanic gases contain up to a hundred compounds, including carbons. Natural freons contribute to the active thinning of the ozone layer above the poles of our planet.

What can be done?

Finding out what the danger of acid rain is is no longer relevant. Now on the agenda in every state, at every industrial enterprise, first of all, there should be measures to ensure the purity of the surrounding air.

In Russia, giant factories such as RUSAL, in last years very responsibly began to approach this issue. They spare no expense to install modern reliable filters and purification facilities that prevent oxides and heavy metals from entering the atmosphere.

Increasingly, alternative methods of generating energy are being used that do not entail dangerous consequences. Wind and solar energy (for example, in everyday life and for cars) is no longer a fantasy, but a successful practice that helps to reduce the amount of harmful emissions.

Expansion of forest plantations, cleaning of rivers and lakes, proper recycling of garbage - all this effective methods in the fight against environmental pollution.

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. Automobiles, industrial processes, and the combustion of fossil fuels in power plants generate pollution mainly in the form of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons, which react with water and sunlight, forming a weak sulfuric or nitric acid, ammonium salts, and 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. The degree of acidity is usually measured using the pH scale, a logarithmic system for 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 vehicles. K. f. cause damage to human health, causing bronchial diseases, destroy buildings made of limestone, increase the acidity of lakes and rivers, fatal to fish, animals, vegetation 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, and by 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 an increased content of acids (mainly sulfuric); pH value<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.

Acid rain is commonly referred to as any precipitation(rain, snow, hail) containing any amount of acids. The presence of acids leads to a decrease in the pH level. Hydrogen indicator

Acid rain is called any atmospheric precipitation (rain, snow, hail) containing any amount of acids. The presence of acids leads to a decrease in the pH level. Hydrogen index (pH) - a value that reflects the concentration of hydrogen ions in solutions. The lower the pH level, the more hydrogen ions in the solution, the more acidic the medium is.

For rainwater, the average pH value is 5.6. In the case when the pH of precipitation is less than 5.6, they speak of acid rain. The compounds that lower the pH level of sediments are sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen chloride and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Causes of acid rain

According to the nature of their origin, acid rains are of two types: natural (arise as a result of the activities of nature itself) and anthropogenic (caused by human activities).

natural acid rain

There are few natural causes of acid rain:

activity of microorganisms. A number of microorganisms in the course of their life activity cause destruction organic matter, which leads to the formation of gaseous sulfur compounds, which naturally enter the atmosphere. The amount of sulfur oxides formed in this way is estimated at about 30-40 million tons per year, which is approximately 1/3 of the total;

volcanic activity delivers another 2 million tons of sulfur compounds into the atmosphere. Together with volcanic gases, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, various sulfates and elemental sulfur enter the troposphere;

decomposition of nitrogen-containing natural compounds. Since all protein compounds are based on nitrogen, many processes lead to the formation of nitrogen oxides. For example, the breakdown of urine. Doesn't sound very nice, but that's life;

lightning discharges produce about 8 million tons of nitrogen compounds per year;

combustion of wood and other biomass.

Anthropogenic acid rain

Since we are talking about the anthropogenic impact, you do not need to have a great mind to guess that we are talking about the destructive influence of mankind on the state of the planet. A person is used to living in comfort, providing himself with everything necessary, but he is not used to “cleaning up” after himself. Either he hasn’t grown out of the sliders yet, or he hasn’t matured with his mind.

The main cause of acid rain is air pollution. If about thirty years ago, industrial enterprises and thermal power plants were named as global causes that cause the appearance of compounds in the atmosphere that “oxidize” rain, today this list has been supplemented by road transport.

Thermal power plants and metallurgical enterprises "give" nature about 255 million tons of sulfur and nitrogen oxides.

Solid-propellant rockets have also made and are making a significant contribution: the launch of one Shuttle complex results in the release of more than 200 tons of hydrogen chloride and about 90 tons of nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere.

Anthropogenic sources of sulfur oxides are enterprises that produce sulfuric acid and refine oil.

Exhaust gases of road transport - 40% of nitrogen oxides entering the atmosphere.

The main source of VOCs in the atmosphere, of course, are chemical industries, oil storage facilities, gas stations and gas stations, as well as various solvents used both in industry and in everyday life.

The final result is as follows: human activity delivers more than 60% of sulfur compounds, about 40-50% of nitrogen compounds and 100% of volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere.

From the point of view of chemistry, there is nothing complicated and incomprehensible in the fact that acid rains are formed. Oxides, getting into the atmosphere, react with water molecules, forming acids. Sulfur oxides, getting into the air, form sulfuric acid, nitrogen oxides form nitric acid. One should also take into account the fact that the atmosphere above large cities always contains particles of iron and manganese, which act as catalysts for reactions. Since there is a water cycle in nature, water in the form of precipitation sooner or later falls on the ground. Along with water, acid also enters.

The effects of acid rain

The term "sour rain" first appeared in the second half of the 19th century and was coined by British chemists dealing with the pollution of Manchester. He noticed that significant changes in the composition of rainwater are caused by vapors and smoke released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of enterprises. As a result of the research, it was found that acid rain causes discoloration of fabrics, metal corrosion, destruction of building materials and leads to the death of vegetation.

It took about a hundred years before scientists around the world sounded the alarm, talking about the harmful effects of acid rain. This problem was first raised in 1972 at a UN conference on the environment.

Oxidation of water resources. The most sensitive are rivers and lakes. Fish are dying. While some fish species can tolerate slight water acidification, they also die due to the loss of food resources. In those lakes where the pH level is less than 5.1, not a single fish was caught. This is explained not only by the fact that adult specimens of fish die - at a pH of 5.0, the majority cannot hatch fry from eggs, as a result, there is a decrease in the number and species composition of fish populations.

Harmful effect on vegetation. Acid rain affects vegetation directly and indirectly. The direct impact occurs in the highlands, where tree crowns are literally immersed in acidic clouds. Excessively acidic water destroys leaves and weakens plants. Indirect impact occurs due to a decrease in the level of nutrients in the soil and, as a result, an increase in the proportion of toxic substances.

Destruction of human creations. Facades of buildings, monuments of culture and architecture, pipelines, cars - everything is exposed to acid rain. Many studies have been done, and they all point to one thing: over the past three decades, the process of exposure to acid rain has increased significantly. As a result, not only marble sculptures, stained glass windows of ancient buildings, but also leather and paper products of historical value are under threat.

Human health. By themselves, acid rain does not have a direct impact on human health - falling under such rain or swimming in a reservoir with acidified water, a person does not risk anything. Health hazards are compounds that are formed in the atmosphere due to the ingress of sulfur and nitrogen oxides into it. The resulting sulfates are carried by air currents over considerable distances, are inhaled by many people, and, as studies show, provoke the development of bronchitis and asthma. Another point is that a person eats the gifts of nature, not all suppliers can guarantee the normal composition of food products.

Solution

Since this problem is global in nature, it can only be solved together. The real solution will be to reduce the emissions of enterprises, both into the atmosphere and into water. There are only two solutions: the termination of the activities of enterprises or the installation of expensive filters. There is a third solution, but it is only in the future - the creation of environmentally friendly industries.

The words that every person should be aware of the consequences of their actions have long been set on edge. But one cannot argue with the fact that the behavior of society is made up of the behavior of individual individuals. The difficulty lies in the fact that a person in environmental matters is used to separating himself from humanity: enterprises pollute the air, toxic waste enters the water due to unscrupulous firms and companies. They are them, and I am me.

Everyday aspects and individual solutions to the problem

Strictly follow the rules for the disposal of solvents and other substances containing toxic and harmful chemical compounds.

Refuse cars. Maybe? - hardly.

Far from everyone can influence the installation of filters, the introduction of alternative production methods, but observing an environmental culture and educating the younger generation to be environmentally literate and cultured is not only possible, this should become the norm for every person’s behavior.

No one is surprised by the multitude of books and films devoted to the results of human impact on nature. In films, the dead surface of the planet, the struggle for survival and various mutant life forms appear colorfully and with frightening realism. Fairy tale, fiction? is a very real prospect. Think about it, not so long ago, space flights seemed to be an invention, engineer Garin's hyperboloid (modern laser installations) - a fantasy.

Thinking about the future of planet Earth, it is worth thinking not about what awaits humanity, but about what kind of world children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will live in. Only personal interest can move a person to take real steps.

History of the term

For the first time the term "acid rain" was introduced in the year by the English explorer Robert 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 causes of 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 a weak carbonic acid (CO2 + H2O -> H2CO3). . While the ideal pH of rainwater is 5.6-5.7, real life The acidity (pH) of rainwater in one location may differ from that of rainwater in another location. This primarily depends on the composition of gases contained in the atmosphere of a particular area, such as sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxides. In the year, the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius coined two terms - acid and base. He called acids substances that, when dissolved in water, form free positively charged hydrogen ions (H+). He called bases substances that, when dissolved in water, form free negatively charged hydroxide ions (OH-). The term pH is used as a measure of the acidity of water. The term pH means in translation from English - an indicator of the degree of concentration of hydrogen ions.

chemical reactions

It should be noted that even normal rainwater has a slightly acidic (pH around 6) reaction due to the presence of carbon dioxide in the air. Acid rain is formed by the reaction between water and pollutants such as sulfur oxide (SO2) and various oxides of nitrogen (NOx). These substances are emitted into the atmosphere by road transport, as a result of the activities of metallurgical enterprises and power plants. Sulfur compounds (sulfides, native sulfur and others) are found in coals and ores (especially a lot of sulfides in brown coals), when burned or roasted, volatile compounds are formed - sulfur oxide (IV) - SO 2 - sulfur dioxide, sulfur oxide (VI) - SO 3 - sulfuric anhydride, hydrogen sulfide - H 2 S (in small quantities, with insufficient firing or incomplete combustion, at low temperature). Various nitrogen compounds are found in coals, and especially in peat (since nitrogen, like sulfur, is part of the biological structures from which these minerals were formed). When such fossils are burned, nitrogen oxides (acid oxides, anhydrides) are formed - for example, nitric oxide (IV) NO 2. Reacting with atmospheric water (often under the influence solar radiation, the so-called "photochemical reactions"), they turn into solutions of acids - sulfuric, sulphurous, nitrous and nitric. Then, together with snow or rain, they fall to the ground.

Environmental and Economic Consequences

The consequences of acid rain are observed in the USA, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, the republics former Yugoslavia and in many other countries the globe. Acid rain has a negative impact on water bodies - lakes, rivers, bays, ponds - increasing their acidity to such a level that flora and fauna die in them. There are three stages of the impact of acid rain on water bodies. The first stage is the initial one. With an increase in water acidity (pH values ​​less than 7), aquatic plants begin to die, depriving other animals of the reservoir of food, the amount of oxygen in the water decreases, and algae (brown-green) begin to flourish. The first stage of eutrophication (bogging) of a reservoir. At pH6, freshwater shrimp die. The second stage - acidity rises to pH 5.5, bottom bacteria that decompose organic matter and leaves die, and organic debris begins to accumulate at the bottom. Then plankton dies - a tiny animal that forms the basis of the food chain of the reservoir and feeds on substances formed during the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria. The third stage - acidity reaches pH 4.5, all fish die, most frogs and insects. The first and second stages are reversible when the effect of acid rain on the reservoir ceases. As organic matter accumulates at the bottom of water bodies, toxic metals begin to leach out of them. Acidity water contributes to a higher solubility of hazardous metals such as aluminum, cadmium, and lead from bottom sediments and soils. These toxic metals pose a risk to human health. People, water drinkers those who are high in lead or who eat fish high in mercury can become seriously ill. Acid rain harms more than just aquatic life. It also destroys vegetation on land. Scholars believe that although today mechanism is not yet fully understood, "a complex mixture of pollutants, including acid rain, ozone, and heavy metals together lead to forest degradation. Economic losses from acid rain in the US are estimated by one study to be $13 million annually on the East Coast, and by the end of the century, losses will reach $1.750 billion from deforestation; $8.300 billion in crop losses (only in the Ohio River Basin) and $40 million in Minnesota alone in medical costs. The only way to change the situation for the better, according to many experts, is to reduce the amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

Literature

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See what "Acid Rain" is in other dictionaries:

- (acid rain) precipitation (including snow), acidified (pH below 5.6) due to the high content of industrial emissions in the air, mainly SO2, NO2, HCl, etc. As a result of acid rain entering the surface layer of soil and ... ... Big encyclopedic Dictionary

- (acid rains), characterized by a high content of acids (mainly sulfuric); pH value<4,5. Образуются при взаимодействии атмосферной влаги с транспортно промышленными выбросами (главным образом серы диоксид, а также азота … Modern Encyclopedia

acid rain- Rain caused by atmospheric pollution with sulfur dioxide (SO2). 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: ... ... Ecological dictionary

acid rain- - rains with a pH of 5.6. General chemistry: textbook / A. V. Zholnin ... Chemical terms

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One of the types of intense environmental pollution, which is the precipitation of drops of sulfuric and nitric acids with rain, arising from the reaction of sulfur and nitrogen oxides emitted into the air by industrial enterprises and transport, ... ... Geographic Encyclopedia

acid rain- (acid rain), chem. pollution of water resources, flora and fauna caused by the emission of exhaust gases from the combustion of fossil fuels. The acidity of rain, snow and fog increases due to the absorption of exhaust gases, advantageously ... ... Peoples and cultures

- (acid rain), atm. precipitation (including snow), acidified (pH below 5.6) due to increased. content in the air prom. emissions, Ch. arr. SO2, NO2, HCl, etc. As a result of K. d. getting into the surface layer of soil and water bodies, acidification develops, which ... ... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

acid rain- are caused by the presence of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen in the atmosphere, which appear due to the oxidation of sulfur and nitrogen during the combustion of fossil fuels. Further oxidation occurs in the clouds, the reactions in which are catalyzed by ozone, ... ... Beginnings of modern natural science