AE 137

Acid Rain and Eutrophication

What is acid rain?
Acid rain is rain that has been made acidic by
certain pollutants in the air.
"Acid rain" is a broad term referring to a mixture of
wet and dry deposition from the atmosphere
containing higher than normal amounts of acids.
Acid rain occurs when these gases react in the
atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other
chemicals to form various acidic compounds.
 Sulfur dioxide dissolves in water and then,
like carbon dioxide, hydrolyses in a series
of equilibrium reactions:

SO2 (g)+ H2O ⇌ H+ + HSO3-

HSO3- ⇌ H+ + SO32-
 Nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide and
carbon dioxide:

2 NO2 (g)+ H2O ⇌ HNO2 + HNO3

2 NO (g)+ H2O ⇌ 2 HNO3

CO2 (g)+ H2O ⇌ H2CO3

Wet deposition
Wet deposition of acids occurs when any form of
precipitation (rain, snow, and so on.) removes
acids from the atmosphere and delivers it to the
earth's surface

Dry deposition
Acid deposition also occurs via dry deposition in the
absence of precipitation. This can be responsible for as
much as 20 to 60% of total acid deposition. This occurs
when particles and gases stick to the ground, plants or
other surfaces.
What causes acid rain?

Acid rain is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

Burning oil, gas and coal in power stations releases

Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere.

Burning oil and petrol in motor vehicles puts nitrogen

oxides (NOX) into the atmosphere.
Natural Causes
The principal natural phenomena that contribute
acid-producing gases to the atmosphere are

a. Emissions from volcanoes

b. Emissions from biological processes that occur
on the land, in wetlands, and in the oceans.
* The major biological source of sulfur containing
compounds is dimethyl sulfide.
What problems are caused by acid
rain?

Acid rain increases the

acidity levels of soils.
Acid rain increases the acidity levels of
rivers, lakes and seas, destroying its
chemical balance.
Acid rain can erode buildings
and monuments (particularly
if they are made from
limestone).
Areas of the world where large amounts of sulphur dioxide
Are released into the air
Eutrophication
 Eutrophication refers to an increase in
the primary productivity of any
ecosystem.

 It is caused by the increase of chemical

nuitrients, typically compounds
containing Nitrogen or Phosphorus. It
may occur on land or in water.
 Eutrophication generally promotes excessive
plant growth and decay, favors certain weedy
species over others, and is likely to cause
severe reductions in water quality .

 In aquatic environments, enhanced growth of

choking aquatic vegetation (algal bloom)
disrupts normal functioning of the ecosystem,
causing a variety of problems
 Eutrophication is frequently a result of
nutrient pollution such as the release of
sewage effluent into natural waters
(rivers or coasts).

 However, it may also occur naturally in

situations where nutrients accumulate
(e.g. depositional environments) or where
they flow into systems on an ephemeral
basis.
 Ecological effects/ impacts:

a. decreased biodiversity
b. changes in species composition
c. dominance and toxicity effects.
"one of the
planet's worst
environmental
disasters."[
Caspian Sea
Aral Sea
Aral Sea
The remains of the Aral Sea on August 19, 2014