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Acid rain is a very serious issue and has many damaging effects on the environment. Acid rain is rain, snow or fog that is polluted by acid in the atmosphere and has several harmful effects of the environment. An acid is a substance that is characterized of having the ability to react with a base to form a salt. The most common way of measuring acid in a liquid, like water, is the pH scale. The acid content is based on the concentration of hydrogen ions and is used to measure the acidity of rain samples, lakes, etc. Precipitation normally has a pH of around 5.0 to 5.6 because of normal atmospheric reactions in the atmosphere. Precipitation is considered to be acidic when its pH falls below 5.6. Below this point is when harmful effects begin to take place on several parts of the environment.
In looking at acid rain it is important to understand how it is produced and caused. The primary causes of acid rain are sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. When released into the atmosphere they react with other components to form new compounds. Some common examples of reactions that take place are
SO + HO ͖ HSO
NO + HO ͖ HNO + HNO
NO + OH ͖ HNO
The main causes of the sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions are from various human activities. The top contributing factors are industrial processes, burning fossil fuels, electric utilities, transportation, and combustion of fuels in motor vehicles. It is clear to see that these factors are all because of human activity and contribute to the problems associated with acid rain production. Therefore, humans play an enormous role in acid rain formation, causing an estimated one billion dollars in damages from acid rain annually.
As discussed briefly, acid rain has several destructive effects on the environment. The first large category, aquatic life, is extremely vulnerable to acid rain. Lakes, ponds, etc. that have been acidified simply cannot support the same variety of life as healthy bodies of water. As the water becomes more acidic, a variety of negative things begin to happen. Crayfish, clams, and various types of fish begin to die because the acidity of the water is much too high for them to function properly. As the body of water continues to become more acidic, undesirable species of mosses and plankton that thrive in that environment begin to invade. This is followed shortly by masses of deaths like frogs, birds, and fish. The wildlife living around the bodies of water no longer have an accessible food source. This creates a harmful chain effect, quickly killing off the surrounding wildlife. The interactions between living organisms and the chemistry of their habitats are extremely complex. If one of the species changes because of acid rain then the entire body of water is likely to be affected through the predator-prey relationships in the food web.
Not only is aquatic life affected, but vegetation and plant life as well. In looking at the effects, they are all quite negative. The first common effect is that the acid rain can alter the protective waxy surface of leaves, lowering disease resistance. It damages the surfaces of leaves and needles on the plants as well. Secondly, it reduces the plants' ability to withstand cold and extreme weather conditions. Acid rain also reduces tree vitality and regeneration capability. Prolonged exposure to acid rain can even cause forest soils to lose valuable nutrients. Lastly, acid rain makes vegetation more susceptible to things like disease, insects, pests, etc. It is evident that acid rain also has extremely negative effects on plant life and vegetation.
Finally, acid rain also can take an extreme toll on human health. Toxic metals, such as mercury and aluminum can be released into the environment through the acidification of soils. The toxic metals can then end up in the drinking water, crops, and fish and then ingested by humans through consumption. If ingested in great quantities, these metals can have toxic effects on human health. One metal, aluminum, is believed to be related to the occurrence of Alzheimers disease. Increased concentrations of sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen have been linked to increased hospital admissions for respiratory illness as well. Research on children from communities that receive a high amount of acidic pollution show increased frequencies of chest colds, allergies and coughs.
Luckily, there are many things presently being done and that can be done to help reduce acid rain. The best overall solution to acid rain is to reduce sulfur and nitrogen emissions. In 11, Canada and the United States established the "Air quality Accord" that helps to control air pollution. There are still more things to do though. The two key ways that acid rain can be reduced is to first reduce the amounts of energy used in the home. Trying to be energy efficient is extremely important. Secondly, by reducing the stress your driving habits put on the environment. There are several things the population can do to help prevent acid rain
• Turn off lights, computers, and other appliances when youre not using them
• Use energy efficient appliances lighting, air conditioners, heaters, refrigerators, washing machines, etc.
• Only use electric appliances when you need them.
• Insulate your home as best you can.
• Carpool, use public transportation, or better yet, walk or bicycle whenever possible
• Buy vehicles with low NOx emissions, and maintain all vehicles well.
• Be well-informed.
In conclusion, a lot has been done to help prevent further destruction by acid rain, but there are still remaining challenges. More action is needed in order to protect our environment. Harmful emissions still need to be reduced to a smaller amount and individuals must take the initiative to help save the environment by their actions. Acid rain is a very serious problem in Canada and needs to be dealt with accordingly. It was shown that acid rain has many negative effects, therefore to ensure that the ecosystems are not further destroyed; we must all try and make a difference. With hard work and stricter laws on chemical emissions, Canada will be able to prevent acid rain and the several negative effects accompanied by it.
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