Acidification of Adirondack lakes

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00180a015· OSTI ID:6102847

Asbury, C E; Vertucci, F A; Mattson, M D; Likens, G E

The acidification of lakes in the Adirondack Mountain region of New York was estimated directly by comparing data from historic (1929-1934) and modern (1975-1985) regional surveys of lake chemistry. The authors performed new analyses concerning the quality of the data, rejecting all historic pH data and many modern alkalinity values. When the historic data were corrected for a bias between titration procedures, they found a median loss of 50 ..mu..equiv/L alkalinity in 274 lakes with paired data. Eighty percent of the lakes showed a decline in alkalinity. The observed acidification was greatest in the lakes at high elevation and was of the same magnitude as the current precipitation acidity in the region.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Puerto Rico, Piedras
• OSTI ID: 6102847
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 23:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS
LAKES
ACIDIFICATION
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
LEVELS
NEW YORK
PH VALUE
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER POLLUTION
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
CHEMISTRY
FEDERAL REGION II
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
SURFACE WATERS
USA
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)