Acid Rain It Falls On All of US：酸雨落在我们所有的人.docVIP

Acid Rain: A discussion of sources and effects CE 221 – Introduction to Environmental Engineering Katrina L. Gibbons November 7, 2001 Professor Kney I. Introduction When you see a smokestack spewing black pollution into the air or a flare burning and releasing noxious chemicals into the atmosphere, do you ever wonder what effect it is having on our environment? If so, your concern is not unfounded. Those emissions are responsible for the modern day phenomenon known as acid precipitation, more commonly referred to as acid rain. Acid rain is responsible for the acidification of lakes and other bodies of water, damaging vegetation and man-made structures with its corrosive effects, and adversely affecting area wildlife. As a result, the balance of the ecosystem is upset. These effects can be long term and far-reaching. The purpose of this paper to is to provide information on the many aspects of acid rain. First, a definition of exactly what acid rain is will be provided, including how it is formed and the basic chemistry behind it. The rest of the paper will discuss the many negative effects acid rain has on all aspects of the ecosystem. Finally, a brief case study of Sudbury, Ontario, a Canadian city that formerly suffered very serious acid rain problems and has managed to drastically recover will be presented. II. Definition and Background The source and chemistry of acid rain is not particularly complicated. When coal, oil, and other fossil fuels are burned, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are released. These compounds then react in the atmosphere and are oxidized to form sulfuric and nitric acids. The formation of these acids is governed by the following equations, as presented by B.J. Mason (1992) in his book entitled Acid Rain: Sulfuric Acid - Gaseous re