ASSESSMENT OF PROBABLE EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN ON AGROECOSYSTEM

Acid rain is rain with elevated levels of hydrogen ions, that is, low pH. Liquids with a pH less than 7 are acidic. "Acid rain" is a popular term referring to the deposition of wet (rain, snow, sleet, fog, cloud water, and dew) and dry (acidifying particles and gases) acidic components. It is a serious environmental issue that is incident increasingly today due to the increased prevalence of air pollution. Clean or unpolluted rain has an acidic pH of over 5.7, because carbon dioxide and water in the air react together to form carbonic acid which has a characteristic pH of 5.7. Since polluted water has other chemicals such as sulphuric acid and nitric acid, the acidic pH is over 5.7.

Figure 1. Sources of chemicals for acid rain formation Acid rain can cause paint to peel, corrosion of steel structures such as bridges, and erosion of stone statues, etc. Apart from the physical damage, acid rain has been shown to have adverse impacts on forests, freshwaters and soils, killing insect and aquatic life-forms as well as causing damage to buildings and having impacts on human health. Adult fish will die and the fish eggs will not hatch. Acid rain has eliminated insect life and some fish species, including the brook trout in some lakes, streams, and creeks (U S Environment Protection Agency, 2008). The birds that eat the fish also begin to suffer as the harmful minerals build up inside. In India, the rainwater was analyzed and the concentration of NO3- and nss SO42- in rain was determined as they are the major chemicals to form acid rain. (Figure 2,3) (Granat, Engardt, Kulshrestha, & Rodhe, 2005) Also, the chemical composition of rainwater and dust fall was studied in two different stations of Bhubaneswar, located in the east coast of India. Of the rain events during 19971998, 93% recorded alkaline pH (>5.6) one station (Regional Research Laboratory RRL) while at the other station (State Botanical Garden SBG) 57%

of the rain events were alkaline and the rest were acidic. Non-sea salt (nss) Ca2+ and NH3 were the primary neutralizing agents of rainwater acidity at both the locations. (Das, Das, & Misra, 2005)

Figure 2. Concentration of nss SO42- in rain. Data from measurements at rural and suburban (underlined) sites obtained with bulk (black) and wet only (red) collectors (scaled to year 2000) compared with the concentration field obtained with the MATCH model for the year 2000. Values in eql-1.

Figure 3. Concentration of NO3- in rain. Data from measurements at rural and suburban (underlined) sites obtainedwith bulk (black) and wet only (red) collectors (as reported) compared with the concentration field obtained with the MATCH model for the year 2000. Values in eql-1.

Acid Rain and Crops

Figure 4. Major Crop areas in India On comparing the Figures 2, 3 and 4, in North India, the concentrations of NO3- and nss SO42are higher and may affect the major crops in these regions. In a study by Xie, et al., 2008, water samples were taken from a watershed rice agroecosystem in Tai and the concentrations of inorganic N, molar ratios of NH4+/NO3- and the natural 15N abundance of NH4+ in wet deposition were determined as nitrogen (N) in wet deposition can provide significant nutrients to algae, which potentially contributes to eutrophication in waterbodies, and to nutrient surplus of ricewheat crops.

Acid Rain and Soil Interaction

Alkaline or basic soils, such as those rich in limestone, calcium carbonate, can neutralize the acid directly. The sulfuric acid reacts with the limestone in a neutralization reaction.

Limestone: CaCO3 + H2SO4 CaSO4 + H2CO3 The calcium sulfate is soluble in water and hence the limestone dissolves and crumbles. H2CO3 CO2 gas + H2O The original acid (hydrogen ions) have been converted to water in these reactions. The extent to which soils can neutralize acid rain depends on several factors: type of soil, thickness, weather, and water flow patterns. If the soil is mainly quartz, such as sand, it is resistant to weathering and no bases are present to neutralize acid. If the soil has very little base such as limestone, the acid is neutralized only slightly or with the passage of time, not at all. Trees derive their nutrition primarily from element ions such as calcium, Ca, magnesium, Mg, and potassium, K that have dissolved from rocks into the soil. Acid deposition adds hydrogen ions, which displace these important nutrients in a process called leaching. Leaching means that the ions are washed deeper into the subsoil or washed out of the top soil. If ions are leached from the soil, they are no longer available to the roots of the plants. Calcium ion is used in the cells of a tree for cell formation and in the processes that transport sugars, water, and other nutrients from the roots to the leaves. Magnesium ion is a vital element in photosynthesis and as a carrier of phosphorus which is important in the production of DNA. These ions may be unavailable to the tree roots because they have been leached away. Lower soil pH can reduce populations of soil microorganisms. Soil bacteria have the job of breaking down the dead and decaying leaves and other debris on the forest floor. The effect of this action is to release nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, phosphate, nitrate, and others. Low pH inhibit this process. Higher amounts of acids can mobilize other toxic metals from the insoluble to the soluble ion forms in the same fashion as aluminum. The toxic metals include lead, mercury, zinc, copper, cadmium, chromium, manganese, and vanadium. These may all contribute to slow the growth of a tree. In addition, this combination of toxic metals may also adversely effect the growth of soil bacteria, mosses, algae, fungi, and earthworms.

Conclusion

Bibliography
Das, R., Das, S. N., & Misra, V. N. (2005). Chemical composition of rainwater and dustfall at Bhubaneswar in the east coast of India. Atmospheric Environment , 59085916.

Granat, L., Engardt, M., Kulshrestha, U. C., & Rodhe, H. (2005). Review of precipitation monitoring studies in Indiaa search for regional patterns. Atmospheric Environment (39), 74037419. U S Environment Protection Agency. (2008, December http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects/surface_water.html 01). Retrieved from

Xie, Y., Xiong, Z., Xing, G., Yan, X., Shi, S., Sun, G., et al. (2008). Source of nitrogen in wet deposition to a rice agroecosystem at Tai lake region. Atmospheric Environment (42), 5182 5192.