Acid rain: an overview of the problem
This paper deals with the key issues, concerns, and further research needs in the area of acid rain. The cause and effect relationship between pollutant emissions and the measured acidity of preparation has not yet been quantitatively determined. However, it is apparent that both man-made emissions and natural sources contribute to the acidity of precipitation, the main offenders being the oxides of sulphur (SO/SUB/x) and nitrogen (NO/SUB/x). Secondary sources such as ammonia also play an important part in the formation of acid rain. The fate of pollutants contributing to acid rain depends upon the physical process of dispersion, transport, and deposition, and on complex chemical transformations involving atmospheric chemistry and physics. Adverse and beneficial effects of acid precipitation on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are analysed, the latter being more difficult to assess. Mitigation of the harmful effects of acid deposition is one possible option. 88 references.
- OSTI ID:
- 6288626
- Journal Information:
- Environ. Prog.; (United States), Vol. 2:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
REVIEWS
AMMONIA
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
DEPOSITION
EMISSION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
INFORMATION NEEDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
POLLUTION SOURCES
SULFUR OXIDES
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECOSYSTEMS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RAIN
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
010900* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)