pH Unacceptable Rains

Andrea Mitrovic
Science 9a
Mr. Patrick Youell
May 3, 2016

pH unacceptable rains 

Under the term of rain we consider all forms of perspiration (rain, dew, snow, fog). Distilled water has a pH of 7,0, that's neutral water and can be found only in a laboratory. Rains that normally pour have a pH of 5,6. Slight change of pH is because of presence of carbonic acid H2CO3. Acid rains are pollution's that pour on the ground with pH that is less then 5,6. 

In 1852, in England, Robert Angus Smith first determined the connection between the polluted air and acid rain. That was the first historical appearance of the scientific term "Acid Rain", but this phenomenon was put in the center of attention at 1990.   

Figure 1: Acid rain pathway. 

Circulation of gasses that combine with water give us a the acid rains. 

Next to rain there are dry depositions that fall like ash. 

Acid rains forms when sulfur dioxide (SO2)  and nitrogen oxides (usually they are nitrogen oxide NO and nitrogen dioxide NO2) are combined with moisture from air on high altitudes. Oxides and water are in gas form. They interact together and form acid. These oxides form sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3). Forming the acid in cloud pH of water  is changing. If the concentration of oxides is high the acid that is formed will have a low value of pH , acid will be stronger. There are documented reports of rain with pH 2.1 in USA IN 1964 , pH 2.4 in Scotland in 1974 , in Serbia the lowest value of pH 2-3 in rain is in city Bor.

Bor is big mining and smelting basin in eastern Serbia. The copper is draws from two surface mining and the nature of ground is change. Smelting is the process of separating metal from solid waste, by doing this process factory emits a lot off sulfur dioxide in atmosphere. The smelting factory in Bor doesn't have a new technology to be surroundingy a friendly factory , so the every day pollution is very high.

Figure 2 : Mining and smelting basin of Bor.

Visible devastation of the ground and high concentration of gasses going from high chimneys. All town of Bor suffers from these gasses, a lot of children are sick with lung diseases.

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides merge in our environment naturally and artificially. 

Natural way is volcanic fumes and biodegradation organic substances helped buy bacteria. 

Artificial sources of pollution's are combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) and heavy industry. Fosters theory from 1993 defined that natural sources contribute 60% of air pollution and artificial sources only bring 40% of air pollution's.  

The present of air pollution brings a lot of environmental problems.

Acid rains increase the soil acidity and essential minerals are leached from the soil. Evergreen trees are always harder hit by acid rains then deciduous trees. The visible signs of acid rain is change of color on trees or grass , slower growth , the inability of reproduction.

Figure 3: Visible differences in ever green trees that are under influence of Acid Rain. 

Change of color is the most visible sign of pollution. 

Figure 3: Visible differences in ever green trees that are under influence of Acid Rain. 

Change of color is the most visible sign of pollution. 

In urban areas the influence o acid rain is visible on street facades. Every unprotected metal exposed to acid rain will rust.

One of the most important factors in preservation of environmental is uniting the whole world to reduce emissions of gases in to the atmosphere.

Figure 4: Emission of SO2 in the world and forecast of what Europe and America should do to lower their emission of this gas, and not so good prog-nose of what will happen in Asia in 2020.   

Bibliography:

https://www.chem.bg.ac.rs/~grzetic/predavanja/Osnovi%20hemije%20atmosfere%20i%20zagadjivaci%20vazduha/ATMOSFERSKI%20TALOG%20I%20KISELE%20KISE.pdf

http://www.pollutionissues.com/Re-Sy/Smelting.html


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