Acid rain is any form of rain, which is more acidic than usual, it can be in form of fog, hail, and snow. Acid rain carries pollutants mainly acids from the air to the ground. Acid rains form when rain encounters contaminants in the air like sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides (Du, Reddy& Jin, 2014). Sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide occur naturally, but burning fuels adds more of these chemicals to the air. When most of these chemicals are released into the atmosphere, they combine; react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form acid rain. Acid rain then falls to the earth and damage plants, animals, soil, water, and building materials. Lightning, volcanoes, and rotting plants and grasses are some of the natural sources of acid rain. Man-made causes of acid rain include exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses, pollution from industry, and power plants that burn coal. Acid rain is a non-point source of pollution. A non-point source pollution is a form of pollution, which forms in a very broad area and enters the polluted area in small, diffused flows. Acid rain is considered a non-point source of pollution since acid rain forms in the sky and falls to the ground a little at a time. Acid rain results in the acidification of soil, which increases the exchange between hydrogen ions and nutrient cations. These cations are liberated into the soil and can be rapidly leached out in soil solution along with Sulphate from an acid input. Acid-induced leaching leads to reduced nutrients in the affected soils and this loss of soil fertility results in a decrease in the growth of plants including trees in the acidified soil. Acid rain makes the water bodies acidic; this affects the lives of most amphibians since they are affected by the acidification of water, and a particular type of fish may die. Leaves and trees are affected. Acid rain can be harmful to humans; people can have respiratory problems when they inhale small droplets of fog. Copper and lead from rusty pipes can dissolve into drinking water. It affects manufactured materials, metal structures and cars become corroded, and limestone buildings, tombstones, statues, and monuments wear down more quickly. Reducing energy consumption on a daily basis can help prevent the formation of acid rain. Homeowners can turn off appliances and electronics when they are not in use. Buying energy-efficient appliances can also help. Air conditioning and heating units can be used only when necessary. Using alternative energy sources in the form of solar or wind decreases the number of fossil fuels that are burned into the atmosphere. Reducing car traffic can be possible when public transportation is used, walking, or riding a bicycle. Cars are a significant contributor to acid rain because they emit nitric oxide into the air. Fluidized bed combustion is one of the industrial methods that can be used to reduce the amount of sulfur emitted into the atmosphere. The pollution prevention Act establishes a national policy that EPA implements. It outlines that pollution should be prevented or reduced at the source whenever feasible, and that which cannot be prevented should be recycled and treated in an environmentally safe manner. Another example is the Execution orders; this order promotes sustainable acquisition and procurement of products and services by federal agencies. Federal procurement actions must include specific environmental performance and sustainability factors to the maximum extent practicable. Some technologies are designed for protecting the environment, for example, recycling technologies help recover valuable materials from waste, cutting manufacturers' costs, while also preventing pollution. Programs for educating the public on waste management, and air pollution are very important. Air quality education helps individuals understand the ozone layer, ways of preventing pollution, and generally understanding the effects of pollution (Seinfeld, & Pandis, 2016). Most of the regulations have been effective; many people choose to adhere to the laws not only due to love of the environment but also fear of the effects of non-compliance. Some of the practices that need to be done more include; Identifying critical ecosystems and their sulfur-carrying capabilities, and following emissions from an area or point source the sources contributing to deposition in an ecosystem. Selecting pre-defined energy pathways and modifying pathways to explore the effects of alternative energy development strategies helps reduce emissions taking into account generation, atmospheric processes, environmental Crips act, and control costs for sulfur dioxide ammonia, and nitrogen.
References
Du, Y. J., Wei, M. L., Reddy, K. R., Liu, Z. P., & Jin, F. (2014). Effect of acid rain pH on leaching behavior of cement stabilized lead-contaminated soil. Journal of Hazardous Materials , 271 , 131-140.
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Seinfeld, J. H., & Pandis, S. N. (2016). Atmospheric chemistry and physics: from air pollution to climate change . John Wiley & Sons.
