ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY

Acid rain is a result of air pollution. When any type of fuel is

burnt, lots of different chemicals are produced. The smoke that
comes from a fire or the fumes that come out of a car exhaust
don't just contain the sooty grey particles that you can see-
they also contain lots of invisible gases that can be even more
harmful to our environment.
Power stations, factories and cars all burn fuels and therefore
they all produce polluting gases. some of these gases
(especially nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide (react with the
tiny droplets of water in clouds to form sulphuric and nitric
acids. The rain from these clouds then falls as very weak acid-
which is why it is known as “acid rain”.

Acid rain is a popular term refining to the deposition of wet

(rain, snow, fog and dry acidic) components.
A more accurate term is acid deposition.
•Wet deposition.
• Dry deposition

Introduction
➢ Acid rain refers to the deposition of wet and dry acidic
component
➢ precipitation that is unusually acidic
➢ Pure water has a pH of 7.0.
➢ Normal rain is slightly acidic because carbon dioxide
dissolves into it, so it has a pH of about 5.6. When the Ph
level of rainwater goes below 5.6, it is considered acid rain.
➢ The lower the rain's pH, the more acidic it is.
➢ Mainly caused due to oxides of sulphur and nitrogen

Deposition Types
Wet deposition:
Refers to acidic rain, snow, fog, cloud-water, dew, mist
etc. As this acidic water flows over and through the ground, it
affects a variety of plants and animals.
Dry deposition:
Refers to acidic gases and particles mixed with dust or
smoke. The wind blows these acidic particles and gases onto
buildings, skyscrapers, cars, homes, and trees.

The problem has become severe since the1960s when

fishermen noticed a sharp reduction in the quantity of fish in
lakes of North America and Europe.
In 1872, the Scottish chemist, Angus Robert Smith wrote a
book "Air and Rain: The Beginnings of Chemical
Climatology", in which he used the term “Acid Rain”.

Effects of Acid Rain

Plants
Removing useful nutrients from the soil, acid rain slows the growth
of plants.
Attacks trees directly by eating holes in the waxy coating of leaves
and needles, causing brown dead spots. If many such spots form, a
tree loses some of its ability to make food through photosynthesis.
Soil
In soil, acid rain dissolves and washes away nutrients needed
by plants and dissolve toxic substances, such as
aluminium and mercury.
The acidic compounds in the rainfall or melting snow change
the chemistry of soil and stripping of the vegetation and
ultimately, fewer habitats to support the ecosystem.
Human--made Structures made Structures
Acid rain and the dry deposition of acidic particles damage
buildings, statues, automobiles, and other structures made
of stone, metal, or any other material exposed to weather for
long periods.
Human health
The acidification of surface waters causes little direct harm
to people. Toxic substances leached from soil can pollute local
water supplies.
The most serious side effect is respiratory problems, including
asthma and dry cough. Other health problems include
headache, eye, nose and throat irritation.
Toxic particles of mercury and aluminium find their way into
fruits, vegetables and grasses. Once eaten by animals, these
toxic particles are retained in their organs, and although this
poses no threat to the animal, it does pose a threat to humans
who consume them.
Aquatic
Continual acid rain decrease the PH level and increase the
“AL” level.
•Such factors cause chronic stress that kill fish or may lead to:
1.Lower body weight.
2. Smaller size.
3.Less able to compete for food.
4. Less able to compete for habitat.