Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Atmospheric dust and acid rain

Journal Article · · Scientific American
Why is acid rain still an environmental problem in Europe and North America despite antipollution reforms? The answer really is blowing in the wind: atmospheric dust. These airborne particles can help neutralize the acids falling on forests, but dust levels are unusually low these days. In the air dust particles can neutralize acid rain. What can we do about acid rain and atmospheric dust? Suggestions range from the improbable to the feasible. One reasonable suggestion is to reduce emissions of acidic pollutants to levels that can be buffered by natural quantities of basic compounds in the atmosphere; such a goal would mean continued reductions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, perhaps even greater than those prescribed in the 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act in the U.S. 5 figs.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
426248
Journal Information:
Scientific American, Journal Name: Scientific American Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 275; ISSN SCAMAC; ISSN 0036-8733
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

The major role of dust in explaining 1954--1993 acid rain trends
Conference · Sat Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1995 · OSTI ID:271838

Acid rain
Journal Article · Tue Feb 29 23:00:00 EST 1972 · Environment; (United States) · OSTI ID:6799544

Acid rain and environmental policy
Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5960907