Acid Rain

Acid rain is a much more complex problem then most people realize. Acid rain does not only drop dangerously high levels of acid into the ground directly affecting wildlife but it also mixes with other elements and compounds in the earth which then become harmful to the environment. For example aluminum is one of the most common metals on earth. It is stored in a combined form with other elements in the earth. When it is combined it cannot dissolve into the water and soil and harm the fish and plants. However the acid from acid rain can easily dissolve the bond between these elements. The Aluminum is then dissolved into a more soluble state by the acid. Other metals such as copper and iron are similarly affected however it is the aluminum that is the most common. In this form it is easily absorbed into the water. When it comes in contact with fish it causes irritation to the gills. This irritation in turn causes fish to create a film of mucus in the gills to stop this irritation until the irritant is gone. However the aluminum does not go always and the fish continues to build up more and more mucus to counteract it. Eventually there is so much mucus that it clogs the gills. When this occurs, the fish can no longer breath. It dies and then sinks to the bottom of the lake. Scientist predict that acid rain is one of the leading causes the possible extinction of fish. This does not only affect the fish in the water, it affects everything including humans. These lakes and streams are not just homes for aqualife but they are our sources of water too.

Another very large problem is the effect of acid rain on trees. When a tree’s roots absorb water from the ground it is taking in its source of life, and when acid rain rains around that tree, its life source is poisoned. Tree’s leaves and needles begin to drop off, and seedlings fail to produce new trees. The acid also reacts with many nutrients the trees need, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. This starves the trees, and they become much more susceptible to other forms of damage, such as being blown down, or breaking under the weight of snow. Also forests in high mountain regions receive additional acid from the acidic clouds and fog that often surround them. These clouds and fog are often more acidic than rainfall. When leaves are frequently bathed in this acid fog, their protective waxy coating can wear away. The loss of the coating damages the leaves and creates brown spots. When the leaves are damaged, they cannot produce enough food energy for the tree to remain healthy.

Acid rain does not only poison our drinking water, but it is very corrosive. Acid rain is known to contribute to the corrosion of metals and deterioration of stone and paint in buildings, statues, and other structures of cultural significance. Human-made materials gradually deteriorate even when exposed unpolluted rain, but acid rain accelerates the process. For example, the Capitol building in Ottawa has been disintegrating because of excess sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere. Limestone and marble turn to a crumbling substance called gypsum upon contact with the acid, which explains the corrosion of buildings and statues. In addition, bridges are corroding at a faster rate, and the railway industries as well as the airplane industry have had to put more money in repairing the corrosive damage done by acid rain. Not only is this an economically taxing problem caused by acid rain, but also a safety hazard to the general public. In 1967 the bridge over the Ohio River collapsed killing 46 people, the reason was corrosion due to acid rain. Dry deposition of acidic compounds can also dirty buildings and other structures, leading to increased maintenance costs.

Also, there is growing concern about the potential health risks associated with acid rain. Recent reports suggest, for example, that downwind derivatives of sulfur dioxide, known as acid aerosols, may pose serious health threats throughout the eastern United States. Inhalation of acid aerosols may lead to bronchitis in children and decreased lung function in adults, particularly asthmatics. Controlling acid rain will play an important role in reducing these risks. In Europe there have already been several birth defects that have been.

So what is being done to fix our problem with acid rain? The EPA or Environmental Protection Agency in 1990 had a clean air law passed. This law is a program designed to significantly reduce acid rain. The overall goal of the ARP (Acid Rain Program) is to achieve significant environmental and public health benefits through reductions in emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX), the primary causes of acid rain. The program encourages energy efficiency and pollution prevention.

The Acid Rain Program began with the reduction of