Troubled skies, troubled waters

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Audubon; (United States)

OSTI ID:6869569

Luoma, J L

Acid rain is devastating hundreds of lakes in North America, Scandinavia, and possibly other parts of the world. A detailed account of the problems caused by acid rain in different regions of the U.S. and Canada including the Adirondacks, the Boundary Waters, and New England, is presented. Acid rain is created when sunlight, moisture in the atmosphere, and sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted by powerplants and other pollution sources combine chemically to produce strong sulfuric and nitric acids. These acids can travel long distances before falling to earth in the rain and snow. Tests by EPA and numerous other groups indicate that a pH of 5 is the critical point for a lake/ below this pH level, the number and diversity of aquatic plants and animals drop sharply, bacterial decomposition of debris slows, and other forms of life related to the lake are negatively impacted. (1 map, 3 photos)

• OSTI ID: 6869569
• Journal Information: Audubon; (United States), Journal Name: Audubon; (United States) Vol. 82:6; ISSN AUDUA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
DEPOSITION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
LAKES
PH VALUE
POLLUTION
RAIN
SULFURIC ACID
SURFACE WATERS
WATER QUALITY