Causes and Effects of Acid rain; how can we prevent it?

Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction between chemical compounds and once they mix with other chemicals in the atmosphere (water, oxygen), acid rain is formed. We are responsible for the polluted air, therefore we are responsible for acid rain. It is harming plants, animals, soil, lakes, rivers, and us humans. Humans have the ability to reduce the chances of acid rain by doing very simple things.

Acid rain is caused by air pollution. The major precipitant of acid rain is the burning of fossil fuels by coal-burning power plants, factories and even cars (See Figure 1). Within the visible grey fumes that are coming out of a car are hidden particles much more harmful then we know.  Human activities are the greatest cause of acid rain, but there are also some natural pollutants such as erupting volcanoes and rotting vegetation, they too release chemicals that result to the formation of acid rain.

Figure 1: Burning Fuel 

A chemical reaction is triggered when compounds such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are released into the air. Once the substances rise into the atmosphere they mix and react with the following; water, oxygen, and other chemicals, forming mild solutions of sulfuric and nitric acid. Wind spreads the acidic solution across the atmosphere (See Figure 2). Acid rain occurs in forms of snow, fog, and even tiny bits of dry material.. It enters water streams/systems, and sinks into the soil, look at Figure 3  there you can clearly see the impact that acid rain had on Canadian lake, Ontario.

Figure 2: The formation of Acid Rain

Figure 3: Canadian Lakes Effected by Acid rain 

However, even though acid rain has multiple ecological effects, it has had the greatest impact on lakes, streams, wetlands, and other aquatic surfaces as you can see in Figure 3 above. Since the water is polluted with acid rain, it endangers crayfish, clams, fish, and other water animals. Some species are able to handle the acidic waters better than others, but in an interconnected ecosystem what impacts some species will also at some point impacts multiple other through the food chain, including land species (See Figure 4).

Figure 4: Bird Hunting Fish out of Lakes

Acid rain does great damage to forests which are at higher elevations. It takes the essential nutrients from the soil and releases aluminum in the soil, making it hard for trees to absorb water. Acid rain also damages the waxy layer on the leaves of trees (see Figure 5), making it even harder for trees to be able to absorb the minerals that they need for healthy growth and without those minerals it is very likely that the trees may die. Another effect that it has on trees and plants is that it makes it difficult for them to withstand cold temperatures, insects, diseases, and it may take away their ability to reproduce.

Figure 5: Branches form the Black forest trees, the left branch shows the effect of acid rain; needle loss, yellow boughs.

To prevent the forming of acid rain factories should burn less fossil fuels, and try to find a replacement for the product. Sulphur could fade out of smoke by spraying a mixture of water and powdered limestone into the smokestack.  Another good way to avoid air pollution is for the government to spend more money on pollution control even if it means increasing prices of electricity bills. Besides increasing some bills governments should invest in researching different ways to produce energy. We have to start with small changes in order to prevent the forming of acid rain.

In order to preserve aquatic life, trees, plants, soil, and infrastructures we need to spread awareness about the impacts that acid rain has on organisms on the planet. Governments should be more aware about the seriousness of the situation, in order to change things.